The Wallabies have filed a complaint to World Rugby over a meeting between All Blacks coach Steve Hansen and referee Romain Poite that was held on the eve of the second Bledisloe Cup Test without Australia’s knowledge.
It comes after coach Michael Cheika said he was left “bitterly disappointed” by Frenchman Poite’s control of Saturday night’s 29-9 defeat at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium, ensuring the Bledisloe Cup will remain in New Zealand for a 14th consecutive year.
The Australian Rugby Union claims Hansen and one of his assistants met Poite for morning tea on Friday.
Under World Rugby regulations, coaches can meet referees before a match only if there are representatives from both teams present, or if one side declines the opportunity.
A similar controversy occurred during June’s three-Test series after England coach Eddie Jones also met Poite in Brisbane without an invitation being extended to the Australians.
Cheika blasted Poite for “absolutely ignoring” approaches from Australia captain Stephen Moore to seek clarification on decisions, and said the referee failed to stop the game when David Pocock was down and needed a concussion test.
“He has the whistle, I understand … the referee might not like the captain personally, that might be his prerogative, but he has to afford him that opportunity if he’s affording it to his opponents,” Cheika said.
“I’m on record with referees boss Alain Rolland about the treatment to our captain and our players by Romain Poite and also by Nigel Owens.
“I don’t know if it’s subconscious or not but it’s there and it’s got to be dealt with, because that can’t be going on if the opponent can have every player discussing with the referee.
“If they’ve got a predetermined position on our players, I asked Alain Rolland in Sydney and he said, ‘Oh that’s a surprise to me if it is’, but it’s pretty blatant to anyone listening to the ref’s ears, I would say.”
Meanwhile, All Blacks prop Owen Franks is expected to be cited for an attempted eye gouge on Kane Douglas in the first half.
Video of the incident, which occurred in the seventh minute, circulated on social media during the match and Cheika said he saw it at the time.
“They couldn’t miss it, it was pretty in the open. It’d be pretty hard for the match review to miss,” he said.
malcolm
Guest
If the Nigel Owens Jacko Peyper and the frog turn up to refs Aus games dont play do what Indian cricket side did with the West Idian umpire . Peyper is on a par with Rudy Kurtzen clearly not good enough to umpire anything.
soapit
Guest
he accepted the punishment. i dont think you understand what a hypocrite is.
soapit
Guest
either that or i just enjoy the process of chatting with him ryan. when it stops being enjoyable i'll stop responding. but im sure waka will be encouraged by your summation of the situation.
Skirttheissue
Roar Rookie
So we ALL know now that Hansen didn't have a meeting with Poite - none, zero, zilch. Hansen met with Pepfyer (apologies for spelling?) after Pepfyer requested a meeting with him following the game played the previous week. Sad to see smoke screens surrounding the WBs, diverting energy away from what needs to happen to inject some passion and creativity back into a side that played the final at the RWC only 11 MONTHS AGO! Listening to Fitzy this morning on the radio he was slating the WBs (something he says he doesn't enjoy doing) for their lack of ability to ace the basics.........like at kick-off - the ball needs to go further than 10m; when you kick the ball out, it has to go out; and lineouts - you need to win your own........simple basics that are failing. Liked hearing Beauden Barrett interviewed after Saturday's 29-9 win, "when you earn the right to play, you play what is in front of you"......speaks volumes of the ABs ability to adapt quickly.
Nigel
Guest
Have to agree, he should be out of a job..... that way we wouldn't have yo put up with his unkept appearance and his emotional attitude which is proving to be boring and not the behaviour of a Wallaby coach!!!!
Bakkies
Guest
The IRB can overrule the citing commissioner. That's what happened in the Joe Marler case
Loftus
Guest
Have you found Suzy yet?
Ryan
Guest
You obviously care soap it you keep taking time to reply to him. Whakaata like the ABs is WINNING
ClarkeG
Guest
so then that would be 3 "thin-skinned ego maniacs".
ClarkeG
Guest
You could well be right.
boefball
Guest
Has anyone asked how/where coach-of-the-year got his info on this imaginary meeting from? Plus its not his backyard either.... I wonder.... Just curious...
Levelheaded
Guest
Well the truth is out..another sign that Cheika is not up to the job. We are becoming a global embarrassment with this Coach. He wouldn't pass the Pulver values test, integrity? Sportsmanship? Humble? Great ambassador for the game? Taking the game to the next level? Retaining talent? Empathy, listens to feedback? It's a fail on all fronts, keep this Coach and we will have years of failure!
Tinfoil Hat
Guest
Which seems to be in accordance with the approach of the coaching group and many 'typical' Australians. They never do anything wrong and everyone else che@ts. The victim mentality is very strong with the entitled demographic that makes up the bulk of aus rugby supporters.
Gilbert
Guest
100% agree. We were well off the mark against the "blicks" and a poor referring game by Poite where the majority of the marginal decisions went against us would not have changed the result but certainly would have narrowed the gap. Nevertheless , it seems Moore seems to raise the ire of the majority of referees and has been a common theme accross our opening 5 tests this season. We are being outsmarted politically on the field and in the coaches box as well as Cheika is playing the victim and seems to be a self fulfilling prohecy. A few victories on the field would help turn some of the marginal decisions our way. Learning to win our own lineout, make the 10m's on the restart, kick the ball out on our penalty , reduce the missed tackles and handling errors , keep the ball in hand rather than continuously kicking it away and build phase play ie Rugby 101 , would be a step in the right direction.. At least we showed some mongrel on the paddock last night which the blicks didn't like and unsettled them on occasions .. But the majority of the time the lack of our downright elemental skills consigned us to our 14th year of torture despite the refs worst efforts!! ?
ads2600
Guest
No, he is a hypocrite. He knowingly broke the rules, got caught out & then has the audacity to call someone else out who has seemingly done the same thing. Wether he got caught or punished or not is irrelevant, & the excuse making from Cheika is holding the Wallabies back from progressing. Time to face reality & stop blaming everyone else, specially when he is guilty of the same offence.
Kirky
Roar Rookie
So Mr Poite should've been hard on the Wallabies, as any fool would or should know that guys like Coleman trying to niggle the Premier side in rugby would be to the All Blacks akin to sending boys in to act like men! Jeez'. But it is important that you sit down and dine with the Referee on game day and foot the bill for the scones, jam and latte's, it works wonders, ~ like the All Blacks need a ''leg up'' from the Wallabies!!!
Old tommo
Guest
It wasn't foul play that cost the Wobblies the game, it was the fact the ABs are in a totally different class. Time to get rid of the dead wood starting with Stephen Moore. Was a great player but no longer and certainly no captain.
Kirky
Roar Rookie
I doubt if old Shag' will lose much sleep over the morning tea with Mr. Poite. but I'm told the bill for the Lattes and scones and raspberry jam were all on old Shag'!
Kirky
Roar Rookie
It never looks great when a player has his hands, fingers or whatever near anybodys facial area, Owen Franks is a top and hard rugby player but never a dirty player but if he's seen to be guilty by whoever it may be, he will not only get a sizeable holiday, but he'll cop it from Hansen and Co also!
Sofa Coach
Guest
Good post Paul. It's not a conspiracy. It's not blatant favouritism. It's simple human psychology. All 46 players, both coaching teams, everyone in the stadium, everyone watching the telecast, and of course, the four match officials, know that the ABs are the best team. That means they get those 50-50 calls and perception bias. McCaw's and Read's far superior ref management on the field and Hanson's far superior management off it only reinforce this advantage. Poite will have few defenders in world rugby. He is infamous for his predetermined decision bias and he struggles regularly with his game management- rarely is a Poite controlled match a classic spectacle. He tends to destroy it. But are Moore's constant gormless challenges on the field and Cheika's all too common petulant outbursts off it the best way to address this? The wallaby leadership need to wake up. They may well have a right to feel aggrieved at times, but outraged indignation doesn't win test matches.