The Bowral Blacks will be without key backs Leif King and Ryan Lonsdale for at least two weeks after both players were sent off following an all-in brawl against Shamrocks at Ocean Park on Saturday.

More than 10 Shamrocks supporters became involved in the melee, forcing the referee to abandon the game with 25 minutes remaining.

Shamrocks won the game 31-10 after leading 25-5 at the break but Blacks captain-coach Chris Creber said he was confident the Blacks could have snatched victory if the game had continued.

“We had a howling wind at our backs and were all over them. I can’t blame the ref for his actions. I thought he was the best we have had all year,” he said.

Shamrocks’ James Tolhurst was also given his marching orders after allegedly punching Lonsdale following a scrum. Creber defended both his players and said they were acting in self-defence.

“They only punched blokes who punched them,” he said.

King, who scored both of Bowral’s tries, was sent off following the first fight and Lonsdale and Tolhurst was sent off after the second bigger melee, which erupted following a scrum shortly after the first fight.

For the full story see the Southern Highland News, Monday, May 19