The Lions wing, Luke Fitzgerald, has condemned the South Africa flanker, Schalk Burger, after being allegedly gouged by the flanker in the opening minute last yesterday's Test. The referee, Christophe Berdos, decided to punish the offence with a yellow card, even though it is regarded by disciplinary officers as one of the most serious acts of foul play, but Burger will face a disciplinary hearing tomorrow morning to account for his action.

Burger was cited by the match commissioner, Steve Hinds, for the incident that left Fitzgerald in pain and struggling to see. The Munster flanker, Alan Quinlan, was last month withdrawn from the Lions squad after receiving a 12-week suspension for a gouging offence: making contact with an opponent's eyes carries a maximum ban of two years.

Hinds also called the South Africa second row, Bakkies Botha, to attend the disciplinary hearing at Loftus Versfeld tomorrow for allegedly launching an illegal charge at Adam Jones and leaving the prop with a dislocated shoulder, one of five Lions taken to hospital after the match with injuries that will put them out of Saturday's final Test.

"It was an unfortunate incident [involving Burger], a part of the game I would rather not be there," said Fitzgerald, who at 21 was the youngest player on the field. The Lions had started the match with a kick into the South Africa 25 and the Springboks had rolled a maul when Burger appeared to make contact with Fitzgerald's left eye with his right hand while turned away from the Irishman.

The incident was spotted by the touch judge, Bryce Lawrence, who told Berdos that the minimum action required was a yellow card which Burger, who was winning his 50th cap, duly received. "It is not for me to say what the referee should have done, but speaking generally, it is an offence that I feel should be dealt with severely," said Fitzgerald.

"I suffered a bit double vision in the eye and the consequences could have been a lot worse. That was what really surprised me: it was not just that one professional could do something like that to another but that it was done by someone of his quality and experience.

"You are not talking about just a potentially game-ending injury but a career-ending one. I did not suffer any real damage, and perhaps that is why the referee only reached for a yellow card, which I did find a bit strange, along with the fact that it happened so early in the match. It's now down to the disciplinary process and we just have to wait and see. My greatest disappointment is losing a match that we deserved to win."

The South Africa head coach, Peter de Villiers, caused a stir in the after-match media conference when he claimed that his surprise at Burger receiving a yellow card was that the sanction was so severe. "I do not think it was worth a card," said de Villiers. "It was the first minute of the game and there was a lot of niggle afterwards which did not result in anyone going to the sin-bin."

As the incredulity of British and Irish journalists rose, with the coach appearing to play down the seriousness of gouging, the Springboks captain, John Smit, intervened and

ordered the questioners to move on to another subject. The Lions head coach, Ian McGeechan, said: "It is now a matter for the disciplinary process and after the conversation between the touch judge and referee following the incident, I think that is where it will go."

The Lions used Burger's 10-minute absence to take a 10-point lead, but the Springboks pulled out their finger in a remarkable last quarter which saw the game decided deep into stoppage time by a Morne Steyn penalty, just as the 1997 series was decided, after South Africa had drawn level in the second Test in Durban having lost the first, to a late Jeremy Guscott drop goal.

While South Africa face being without two of their most experienced players, the Lions were tonight waiting for medical reports on Adam Jones, Gethin Jenkins, who suffered concussion and a suspected fractured cheekbone after a clash of heads with Bryan Habana, Jamie Roberts, who was having his wrist X-rayed, Brian O'Driscoll, who was having a scan after suffering concussion, and Tommy Bowe, who had elbow damage.