Rugby, Australian Football: Ref leaves Evans baffled

Harlequins boss Mark Evans cut a frustrated figure after his side were held to a 23-23 draw by Castres and directed most of his ire at Scottish referee David Changleng.

The result may have ended Harlequins' eight match losing streak in both the Zurich Premiership and Heineken Cup, but it was a game they could have won.

Twice Dafydd James tries gave them a healthy advantage but they could not shake off Castres, for whom France international centre Richard Dourthe was the kingpin.

He landed six penalties and made the break for Brad Fleming's try in a man of the match performance that secured Castres two away points that could prove a crucial return in the final Pool Four shake-up.

Evans appreciated Dourthe's quality but felt his side's superiority had been nullified by referee Changleng's interpretations.

"I thought we were comfortably the stronger team. I felt that the way the lineout drive was officiated was - I will choose my words carefully here - extraordinarily unusual in a way that I have not seen elsewhere in any country the game is played," said Evans.

"He didn't penalise collapsing the maul. I felt we should have been awarded a penalty try 10 minutes from the end and we would have won the game and been on three tries (going for a fourth and a bonus-point).

"That is the difference between five points and two. And in a group like we are in, that is huge.

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