Rugby Union: Lewis dropped from SA tour

Emyr Lewis, the Cardiff flanker and Andrew Moore, the Swansea back row forward, have been dropped from the Wales squad for the two-match trip to South Africa later this month.

The duo failed to attend Wednesday's squad training session in Cardiff because they were on holiday. And although the head coach Alex Evans and team manager Geoff Evans were aware of the situation they adopted a hard- line approach and dropped them. Hemi Taylor will replace Lewis with Neath's Chris Wyatt stepping in for Moore.

"All selected players were contacted and notified of the requirement to be available from 2 August," the WRU in a statement. "Having given the matter considerable thought on the case of these two players and particularly Andrew Moore, an uncapped player, the management team felt the need to be consistent in their policy."

On the Packer front, England's leading players have again been urged to delay any decision.

Peter Wheeler, the Leicester president and chairman of the First Division Clubs' Committee, believes the clubs can deliver a more realistic package than the pounds 100,000-a-man Packer deal.

The clubs are playing for time, with a meeting with the Rugby Football Union scheduled for next week. "We have to settle this in days rather than weeks, because the players are feeling considerable uncertainty," Wheeler said.

In the southern hemisphere, South Africa and New Zealand appear to be on the verge of preventing mass defections.