Door may open for Cronje

A further suspension would eliminate Botha from the World Cup, which would put Cronje next in line on the strength of an impressive performance against the All Blacks in Dunedin a month ago.

Rian Oberholzer, managing director of South African Rugby, said: 'An allegation has been made. I shall have to gather the facts and take legal opinion, then discuss it with the Australian Rugby Union.'

ARU chief executive John O'Neill said: 'Rian told me that, if there was evidence of a biter in the Springbok team, he would out him. Now that Keohane's claims have been dumped into the public arena, I am duly obliged to ask the question.'

Straeuli, meanwhile, emphasised that Cronje had been left out of the World Cup 30 for rugby reasons but Keohane's report has since accused the player of racially abusing South Africa's black fast bowler Monde Zondeki while watching televised coverage of his half-century during the Headingley Test.

The issue took a new twist last night after two days of legal wrangling over whether the inquiry into the Cronje row should be televised and protests from South African players at being denied legal represerioussentation. The inquiry had been due to open on Monday. Instead, Oberholzer revealed that it was being postponed until after the World Cup, a decision taken following the letters of apology from Straeuli and Springbok manager Gideon Sam.

Oberholzer said: 'I have had letters this morning from both in which they apologise to the whole of South Africa, all players, all supporters and to the Government.

'Both have admitted they made an error of judgment in the way they dealt with the Cronje matter. They said they thought they could deal with it within the team and they have apologised for that.

'We are not sweeping anything under the carpet. We will broaden the base of the inquiry and extend it to rugby in general.

'We have worked very hard to change the image of our sport and rid it of something which is not unique to South Africa. Clearly we have to work on the intolerance a bit harder.'

The rugby future of Ireland full back Geordan Murphy hinges on a nail inserted into the left leg which he broke during Saturday's victory over Scotland. Murphy is out of the World Cup but Dean Richards, his manager at Leicester, said: 'It's a injury although I don't think it's career-threatening. He's as upbeat as he can be in the circumstances but it's going to be a slow process.'

Murphy said: 'They have put a nail into the bone to help the healing process. I'm still a bit shocked by it all. I knew there was something wrong when I hit the deck and I could feel the bone sticking through my sock.'

Brendan 'the chainsaw' Laney, the New Zealander whom Scotland rushed into their team with indecent haste two years ago, has failed to win a place at the World Cup. Borders wing Nikki Walker goes instead in a squad captained by Sale scrum half Bryan Redpath.

SCOTLAND SQUAD - Backs: G Beveridge, M Blair, A Craig, S Danielli, A Henderson, B Hinshelwood, K Logan, J McLaren, G Metcalfe, C Paterson, B Redpath (capt), G Ross, G Townsend, N Walker. Forwards: R Beattie, G Bulloch, B Douglas, S Grimes, D Hall, N Hines, G Kerr, M Leslie, G McIlwham, A Mower, S Murray, J Petrie, R Russell, T Smith, S Taylor, J White.