Wallaby coach Eddie Jones has called on Irish referee David McHugh to punish any English misdemeanours with the sin-bin in Saturday’s rugby union international.
Jones fears England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson would win a penalty shoot-out and he wants McHugh to use the sin-bin to punish any English offenders at the breakdown.
Australian referee Stuart Dickinson came under fire for failing to prevent English players coming in at the side of rucks and from straying offside at the breakdown in last week’s England victory over the All Blacks.
Dickinson did award 33 penalties – 20 against England – and sin-binned Neil Back and Lawrence Dallaglio for persistent professional fouls at the breakdown early in the second half. But Jones called on the referee to lay down the law early in the match.
”I think the ref should be harder, harder earlier in the games then teams won’t infringe,” he said.
”If you get guys in the bin early in the game it certainly discourages guys from infringing at the tackle.
”If they’re harder early we’ll get a better game with less penalties.”
Jones said England was very good at legally slowing down the ball at the tackle, but he hoped McHugh would be quick to act if they overstepped the mark.
Wallaby trio Nathan Sharpe (soreness), David Lyons (bruised thigh) and Ben Darwin (flu) all trained and will be available when the line-up is finalised on Wednesday.
Australia plan to name one prop and one hooker on their seven man reserves bench while they await clarification from the International Rugby Board on a law amendment.
The new edict appears to force sides to name sufficient cover for both props and the hooker, meaning teams need to carry three front-row replacements to ensure scrums are always contested.
”We received a number of memoranda last Friday on the particular law and it didn’t really clarify it to a great extent,” Jones said.
”We’re still under the impression that’s the way to continue and we’re seeking further clarification from the IRB [International Rugby Board].”
Jones described such a law as ”ludicrous” and said it was taking the game backwards.
If it was enforced, his solution was that teams be allowed to carry an eighth reserve.
England has voiced concerns about how the closure of the roof at Melbourne’s Docklands stadium would off-set Wilkinson’s natural advantage.
Wilkinson kicked all of England’s 15 points against New Zealand in wet and windy conditions, while All Blacks goal-kicker Carlos Spencer missed four shots.
Jones agreed a closed roof took conditions out of the equation.
”I’m sure Jonny will kick well underneath the roof and for us, it’s just a matter of kicking as well as we can.”
Jones gave his thumbs up to the pitch which has been widely condemned by Australian Football League (AFL) clubs for its inconsistency, with some patches of the ground compared to cement and others quicksand.
”We’ve been reading about the reports of some of the teams in the AFL being unhappy with the surface,” Jones said.
”But for rugby, it presents a good solid surface and I think we should be able to play positive rugby on it.”
The match looks like equalling the 56 605 crowd for Australia’s 2001 Test with the British and Irish Lions. -Sapa-AFP