Sporting Digest: Rugby Union

STEVE McDOWELL, the former New Zealand prop who has joined the Dublin club, Old Belvedere, is to seek qualification to represent Ireland in the 1995 World Cup. He played 46 Tests for New Zealand between 1985 and 1992.

NEW ZEALAND (Test match v Western Samoa, Auckland, 31 July): J Timu; J Kirwan, F Bunce, V Tuigamala, L Stensness; G Fox, J Preston; C Dowd, S Fitzpatrick (capt), O Brown, R Brooke, I Jones, J Joseph, M Jones, A Pene. Replacements: A Strachan, M Cooper, W Little, M Allen, Z Brooke, N Hewitt.

TOUR MATCHES (Melbourne): Victoria 3 South Africa 78. (Pukekohe, NZ): Counties 22 Western Samoa 41.