The Brumbies were critical of the officiating around scrums after a loss to the Queensland Reds in their last game before the Super Rugby AU final.
The Brumbies, who will play the winner of the Reds and Melbourne Rebels in the final in two weeks, lost to the Reds 26-7 in their final regular-season game.
Brumbies coach Dan McKellar admitted the Reds’ three tries to one victory was deserved but didn’t miss his chance to send a message ahead of a potential rematch in Canberra in a fortnight.
Angered by a 3-0 scrum time penalty count in favour of the Reds, he and captain Allan Alaalatoa claimed hulking Reds prop Taniela Tupou had hoodwinked the referee.
“We were hard done by there, that’s my honest opinion,” the captain said.
“We did everything we could to paint a picture (of compliance), but it wasn’t good enough for the ref.”
McKellar said Tupou’s opposite Scott Sio had been unfairly blamed for dragging down the scrum in claims similar to those echoed by the NSW Waratahs earlier this season.
“The scrum’s been a frustration for the whole competition to be honest; it’s not the loosehead (prop’s) job to keep the tighthead up,” the coach said.
“We’ve had a number of conversations about it and I know it’s been frustrating for officials as well, so hopefully it’s a bit tidier in a couple of weeks.”
Queensland Reds coach Brad Thorn wasn’t going to bite when asked what he thought of the accusations.
“Same old, same old hey, it’s all we hear for weeks,” he said.
“So I don’t know what I’m supposed to say really; he’s been doing the business all year and he wasn’t tearing them apart tonight, just got his work done.”
The Reds will host the Rebels next Saturday for a spot in the final, the Rebels sneaking ahead of the NSW Waratahs into third thanks to a last-gasp matchwinner against the Western Force earlier on Saturday.
Reds captain Liam Wright said his side’s performance against the Brumbies, who had beaten them in two close encounters earlier this season, was timely.
“We’re not thinking about (a final in) Canberra at all; there’s no point thinking about Canberra if we don’t make it there,” he said.
“It’s just nice to just get momentum going into this weekend; we played some pressure footy and know that our systems work.”
jeznez
Roar Guru
On the loose head side I think Bell has been very impressive. Am keen to have a further look at Zander and Orr. At tight keen to see how Fa’amusili comes on.
pm
Roar Rookie
Who do you like most among the younger lot in SR?
jeznez
Roar Guru
A little hard to judge. I think that Sio and Slipper are probably still our two best loose heads (neither of them is a tight head). Suspect that a large part of the issues they are having have been a lack of drive from their locks. Doesn't make sense to me that both of them would have suddenly imploded after being fine at Test level last year.
pm
Roar Rookie
What's your take on Sio just now Jez? Do you think he's still Australia's best tight head? As a scrum novice there is stuff i am missing I am sure. I like Sljpper's more in open play attack-wise but find it hard to rate him vs other 1s at the scrum.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Hi where can you see the press conference?
Cornchips
Guest
Also wasn't what was called. Tackling player without the ball was called
Jeansyjive
Roar Rookie
I didn’t see the game but berry scrum officiating has been suspect in other games
elysiusrugby
Roar Rookie
Nothing wrong with pushing as part of a tackle in rugby, as soon as the player touches the ball he can be tackled. It's completely legal. Haven't heard any complaints about Stewart tackling TK before he had the ball.
Timbo
Guest
You don't push in rugby. You tackle. Wright pushed a player while he was attempting to gather the ball. Law 9.15 dangerous play. Penalty given and rightly so.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Because he wasn't supporting his weight. What happens to a LH if the TH over extends and ends up face down? He hinges. He can't not. He is bound to the TH and he is pushed into position by his second row.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Yeah that's how I saw it Jez. Sio has been struggling and clearly a number were his fault, but multiple times Tupou was the cause trying to win an advantage and Sio was penalised.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
He will end up following the LH down. If he’s ended up flat on his face though he hasnt followed, he’s lead him down.
Drew
Roar Rookie
Agree. Though there was one where it did look like Tupuo's legs went from under him.
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
What happens to a THP when a LHP hinges?
CUW
Roar Rookie
@ Magic 65 there is a lot of inconsistencies in reffing - country to country , NH and Sh , ref to ref add to that the constant changing of the laws and then the urgency to act on those laws sometimes it seems the refs them selves get confused with this constant changes and directives from the top. i will love to see a NH ref come down and ref these matches - then u will see a plethora of penalties as they have a different eye. two very experienced props in Gallagher premiership - Frans and Kepu - have found it difficult at scrumtime with English refs.
jeznez
Roar Guru
I went and watched each scrum from the first half, agree there were three Tupou looked over extended and wound up flat to deck. One was re-set, one was played on and one he was given the penalty. There were still three or four other times I thought Sio was at fault on the collapse. One he looked to try and slide under Tupou and dropped, one he rolled his left shoulder in and a couple he looked to hinge. A bit of silly buggers from each of them. Tupou taking advantage of the fact he was going forward in order to milk penalties for which he was paid once and three or four that Sio was looking to kill the contest under pressure which he seemed to mostly get away with.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Of course it was A factor !
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
I’ll take that to the bank, thanks jez!
The Crow Flies Backwards
Roar Rookie
3 times Thor ended up flat on his stomach which tells me (as an old tight head) his feet were too far back. If the scrum collapsed, it was the tight head over extending and not the loose head hingeing
Double Agent
Guest
Sio's not done well this year.