Johnson: Hamilton card not academical
Scotland head coach Scott Johnson reacted with unrestrained fury at the yellow card shown to second-rower Jim Hamilton which played a significant part in letting South Africa recover from 17-6 down to beat his team 30-17.
Although the pushing incident that led to Hamilton being sent from the field happened in front of referee Roman Poite and his assistant Neil Hennessy, it was television match official Gerrie Coetzee who asked for a ruling.
Asked if there should be any citings after the game, Johnson was blunt: "Yes, the fourth official," he said.
Johnson continued: "I am bitterly disappointed. I believe we could have won and would go as far as to say that I think we should have.
"There was a 10-minute period where we were down to 14 men and we're not playing tiddlywinks. I've never seen someone sin-binned for that before.
"It was ridiculous. I was watching a game of rugby where you saw that kind of thing right the way through. That was nothing but embarrassing.
"Ten minutes for that? That was handbag stuff and it ruined a great, competitive game of footy. It certainly allowed the Boks back into the game and all I'm asking for is consistency. That was completely inconsistent.
"Did the punishment fit the crime? That would be my argument. You saw that happening several times in the game. And you can ask me a thousand times and I won't change my mind. That punishment didn't fit the crime."
Scotland felt the full force of the game with both starting fly-half Ruaridh Jackson and his replacement Peter Horne being taken off, as was flanker Ryan Wilson. This at the end of a week where three players from the weakened squad have already had to go home. All three of the latest casualties are doubtful for the rest of the tour.
Hooker Scott Lawson added: "Pride at the performance, you can't take that away, but for me the overriding emotion is frustration at the result. It was a Test match against the South Africans that we could have won, so it has to be frustration."
