London Scottish...29
Bristol..................25
International full-back Derrick Lee will be allowed to go on tour with Scotland today, despite having a suspension hanging over his head after being sent off during the second half of a bad-tempered Allied Dunbar Premiership play-off match between his club London Scottish and Bristol.
However, he can count himself lucky he was playing in a match under English and not Scottish jurisdiction.
If the incident had taken place in a Scottish match, Lee would have been automatically sus- pended until a disciplinary hearing took place, and Murrayfield officials indicated that he would not have been permitted to fly out in those circumstances.
However, Scotland manager Arthur Hastie said last night: ''The matter is being dealt with under RFU disciplinary legislation. Derrick is clear to go on tour. There will be a disciplinary hearing at some point in the future when we return.''
Lee had already been the subject of dispute between London Scottish and the SRU last week when the exiles indicated that they believed they had agreed with Scotland coach Jim Telfer that the full-back would be allowed to stay on for the second leg of their play-off if it was still in the balance after yesterday's game.
In the event, it was Lee's dismissal that played a major part in ensuring that Bristol still have a chance of earning a place in next season's top division.
The exiles had been in control of the match at their Richmond home until Lee's departure for appearing to throw a punch at David Corkery, leading 29-13. However, Bristol staged a late rally and got back to within four points.
''Our defence was a little loose and they scored three soft tries,'' said London Scottish director of rugby John Steele, who remains confident that his side can still belatedly claim promotion. ''But we played the better rugby and we can unquestionably win down at Bristol.''
In between frequent outbreaks of fighting, London Scottish had played the more stylish rugby for much of the game, with fly-half Jamie Cameron running things well.
Indeed, apart from the first 10 minutes, during which Paul Hull crossed the line for the visitors, the home side did not look in any defensive trouble all the time Lee was on the pitch.
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