Rugby Union: Springboks cite flanker White

SOUTH AFRICA'S self-styled grand slam tour has run into controversy after one match. The tourists' management last night cited Glasgow Caledonians' flanker, Jason White, over an alleged stamping on their stand-off, Braam van Straaten, during the Springboks' overwhelming 62-9 victory at Partick Thistle FC's Firhill ground on Tuesday.

If found guilty at today's disciplinary hearing, in front of the match commissioner Allan Hosie - a former Scottish international referee - in Edinburgh, White faces a maximum 84-day suspension.

South Africa coach, Nick Mallett, was appalled by the incident and said: "I wouldn't stand for that from any South African player and I was very disappointed with that aspect of the game. Only Braam's head- guard saved him from needing 20 to 30 stitches."

Scott Quinnell has completed his pounds 200,000 move from Richmond to Llanelli - a move necessitated for family reasons. It added even further to Quinnell's frenetic week. His wife, Nicola, is due to give birth in a Carmarthen hospital, and on Saturday he plays at No 8 for Wales against South Africa at Wembley.

The 27-year-old Wales and Lions forward was unveiled at Stradey Park yesterday morning, along with Tongan centre, Salesi Finau and Waikato prop, Jason Barrell.

"I am very happy to be returning to Stradey Park and Wales," Quinnell said. "I am here to stay. It was certainly not a difficult decision to make once I knew Llanelli were interested. This is my home town, my home club and it will always be very special to me."

Quinnell will not be available to play in the club's European Cup quarter- final game against Perpignan next month, but is likely to return against Pontypridd in the Welsh Premier Division on 5 December.

Finau has won three caps for Tonga and is a former rugby league player with Australian Premiers club Canberra Rai-ders. He has joined the club on a two-year contract.

Barrell played for Waikato in last season's Super 12 and will return to feature in next season's event when his contract at Stradey Park expires.

The Edinburgh Reivers centre Jamie Mayer and the Northampton flanker Budge Pountney were both yesterday handed their Scotland debuts for the non-cap international with the New Zealand Maoris at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Mayer's elevation rounds off a remarkable year in which he's gone from the Watsonians' bench to the heart of the super district side, via some appearances on tour in Australia.

The Hampshire-born Pountney is rewarded for a series of fine displays for Northampton in the Allied Dunbar Premiership.

The scrum-half Bryan Redpath, who retains the No 9 jersey ahead of Gary Armstrong, will take over the captaincy from Rob Wainwright who will line up at blind-side flanker.

The surprise omission in the pack is Lions lock, Doddie Weir, who has to settle for a place on the bench with the selectors preferring to retain Scott Murray and Stuart Grimes in the second row.

The New Zealander Martin Leslie, who arrived in Scotland three weeks ago to play for the Reivers, will start on the bench alongside another Lion, Alan Tait. Leslie's brother, John, who starred on his debut for Glasgow Caledonians against South Africa, has been added to the Scotland squad and will come into consideration for the Test on Saturday week against South Africa.

SCOTLAND (v the New Zealand Maoris, Saturday, Murrayfield): D Lee (London Scottish); T Stanger (Edinburgh Reivers), J Mayer (Edinburgh Reivers), R Shepherd (Glasgow Caledonians), C Murray (Edinburgh Reivers); G Townsend (Brive), B Redpath (Edinburgh Reivers, capt); T Smith (Glasgow Caledonians), G Bulloch (Glasgow Caledonians), P Burnell (London Scottish); S Murray (Bedford), S Grimes (Glasgow Caledonians); R Wainwright (Glasgow Caledonians), E Peters (Bath), B Pountney (Northampton). Replacements: A Tait (Edinburgh Reivers), D Hodge (Edinburgh Reivers), G Armstrong (Newcastle Falcons), M Leslie (Edinburgh Reivers), D Weir (Newcastle Falcons), D Hilton (Bath), S Brotherstone (Edinburgh Reivers).