England scrum-half Matt Dawson escaped
with a dressing down on Sunday for his stinging attack on the management of the British and Irish Lions.

Lions manager Donal Lenihan said on Sunday they had met the player to discuss the matter."I have to say I'm extremely disappointed," he said. "But Matt was extremely remorseful."

Asked if Dawson would be sent home, Lenihan said: "No. He will be dealt
with internally."

He would not elaborate but a Lions insider said Dawson had been given a
dressing down.

Dawson had earlier told BBC Sport Online's Web site: "The last thing I want to do is upset team morale."

Dawson wrote in a diary published by the London Daily Telegraph the Lions'
New Zealand coach Graham Henry, a former headmaster, treated players like
children and ran a harsh regime.
Lenihan admitted there had been a rift in the camp over the demanding tour
schedule.

"There has been frustration. I would be lying if I said we weren't aware of it. It's not like tours of old. There just isn't the opportunity for relaxing
because of the time scale.

"Let's be fair and honest, in terms of work-load it has beeen tough, but the rewards were there to see yesterday," he added.

Dawson was on the bench on the bench Saturday when the Lions routed
Australia 29-13 in the first of three Tests and Lenihan said he might be
considered for Tuesday's tour match in Canberra against the ACT Brumbies.

Team selection for that match was delayed to Monday when Wales flanker
Colin Charvis was suspended for two matches after beinng cited on Saturday for kneeing Australian prop Nick Stiles and England full-back Matt Perry's injury condition was re-assessed.

Lenihan said Perry was extremely doubtful for the rest of the tour after suffering a groin injury on Saturday.

The 28-year-old Dawson, who has played 41 times for England, said the Lions' tour had been beset by problems, with internal disagreements and splits in the squad widespread.

Dawson, one of the heroes of the Lions' victorious tour to South Africa in 1997, said many of the squad believed the tourists were being pushed too hard
and were not enjoying the tour.Lions captain Martin Johnson said after Saturday's win: "There have been
grumbles from a few players but all that effort's worth it when you get a win like that."

England flanker Richard Hill backed up his skipper."Players have got to realise that they've got to make sacrifices, whether that's socially, or that they've got to go that extra yard in training.

"We realise we haven't seen as much of Australia as we maybe could have but, like I say, at the end of the day we're here to do a job, and tonight probably speaks volumes for the character of the squad.

"When you train hard you're pushing yourself to your physical peak and
sometimes you have to take a step back and re-evaluate what you're here for."