Dawson's fears grow over target practice

'Jonny is an obvious centre of attention. If I was a touch judge I would keep an eye on him after he has passed or kicked'

Pound for pound Jonny Wilkinson and Matt Dawson are the most effective pair of half-backs in world rugby. Not only that, but they are the hardest and it takes a special kind of force to put them out of the game.

Wilkinson is currently recuperating in the Canary Islands, where the temperature is kinder than in the North-east of England, and Dawson is receiving treatment at Northampton, where yesterday he should have been playing for his club against Cardiff in the Heineken Cup.

Both were targeted during England's match against South Africa at Twickenham two weeks ago and neither survived the second half. Wilkinson withstood the assault from Jannes Labuschagne, which resulted in the lock becoming the first Springbok to be sent off at headquarters, and was softened up by another off-the-ball hit from Butch James.

Wilkinson left the field after delivering a pass during the course of which his left shoulder popped out. It was soon restored to its rightful place, but the damage had been done. The Newcastle captain is unlikely to return before the New Year.

The same goes for Dawson, who not only got hit by the South Africans but then suffered a double blow while playing for Northampton against Leicester at Welford Road last weekend. He played for 57 minutes against the Springboks; he lasted for only 10 against the Tigers, by which time he had taken a dangerous hit around the neck from Geordan Murphy and another from Martin Corry. It was during the second assault that the scrum-half landed awkwardly, twisting a medial ligament in his right knee.

"I seem to have been copping it a bit,'' Dawson said with understatement. "I don't know what I've done to upset them. Hopefully the man-marking reflects the way I've been playing.''

Dawson, who had been in prime form, was less concerned about his treatment from Leicester, more about the approach from South Africa and the general role of touch judges. He had a chance in midweek to watch Sky's sensational, if subjective, footage of Springbok skulduggery (whatever England did was consigned to the cutting-room floor) including lowlights from the captain, Corne Krige.

"I was on the ground,'' Dawson observed, "and Krige came in with his head. It made me wonder why I would possibly want to play this game if people are intent on butting me. It certainly made my mum frown.

"What Krige was doing was quite dangerous. When he attacked me the touch judge was only two yards away but there was no flag. It upsets me to think what has to happen before action is taken. During five minutes of madness from an international player it could have been the end of somebody's career. Is that what it's going to take? It's terrible that a schoolboy can die in a freak accident. We have to make sure that professional careers aren't endangered, not by any accident, but by foul play.''

The school tragedy Dawson is referring to was the death last week of James Harding. Playing for Sherborne against Blundell's, he collapsed after a clash of heads and died in hospital. He was 18.

"One of the reasons I play rugby is because of the physical contact,'' Dawson said. "It's part and parcel of the game and I love it. You accept that you're going to get hit. I've had 13 enjoyable years in the top flight. You have your man stuff and that's fine. What disturbs me about the South African match was that it had nothing to do with the hardness of the game. It was a good call to take me off. I was battered and bruised from a culmination of things including bashes around the head.

"There was so much going on and you will never know the full extent. I thought the referee, Paddy O'Brien, had brilliant control. He gave ample warning to both sides, but he has a very difficult job to do. There's a lot to look at and he can't see everything. Perhaps we need to change the brief of the touch judges. What are they looking for?

"There had been a lot of hype about the game and everybody knew it was going to be confrontational and very physical. O'Brien did his homework and was looking for certain things. Jonny and I are the smallest players in the team and are obvious centres of attention. Jonny in particular is a prime target because he is so influential. If I was in the shoes of a touch judge I'd be keeping an eye on him, especially after he has passed or kicked. Maybe it's the system that's at fault.''

Time was when a touch judge was confined to trotting up and down the line indicating where the ball went out of play and when a goal was kicked. They now have the power to inform referees on matters of foul play. Some do, but most do not.

"Touch judges have a clearly defined role and I wouldn't want to see it defined any more,'' said Tony Spreadbury, one of England's leading referees. "They can report things to me and I can ask them for a recommendation, whether it be a severe reprimand or a yellow or a red card. They have that authority. There are times when you don't see an incident as clearly as it may have been picked up on television. When Cardiff played Montferrand last season Craig Quinnell laid out the French hooker. It happened in front of me but I didn't see it and neither did the touch judge. There are some things that even the cameras cannot see. The game is not only a lot faster, but I think it's cleaner than it has been.''

Spreadbury refereed the Leicester-Northampton match and penalised Murphy for the tackle on Dawson, but saw nothing wrong in Corry's challenge, which consisted of a left arm to the throat. "It was hard and physical, no question about it,'' Dawson said, "but I don't think it was cynical. The trouble with watching it on video is that it can look worse than it is.'' Maybe, but he probably would not want to share that view with South Africa.

One good thing, common to Twickenham and Welford Road, emerged from all the mayhem: the Springboks, for all their strong-arm stuff, suffered a record defeat and the Tigers, after seeing the early departure of Dawson, still lost their five-year unbeaten home record.