The Wallabies are shocked by what they see as an over-the-top crackdown on foul play at the Rugby World Cup and are on notice to keep it clean during the rest of the tournament.
The International Rugby Board (IRB) has sent out a firm message to the teams that foul play will not be tolerated with four citings and suspensions from the opening matches.
South African flanker Schalk Burger was suspended for four matches, although this was cut to two on appeal, for a high tackle, England skipper Phil Vickery received two games for tripping, American Paul Emerick five matches for a dangerous tackle and Samoa’s Alfie Vaeluaga got one match for a dangerous tackle.
Australian coach John Connolly and Australian Rugby Union boss John O’Neill have backed the IRB’s clean-up efforts, but players have objected to the severity of the bans.
Wallabies forwards Stephen Hoiles, Wycliff Palu and Stephen Moore all felt for Burger, who caught Samoa’s Junior Polu across the face in contesting a high ball.
”I think they’ve overreacted,” Hoiles said prior to the appeal hearing. ”That could be [Burger’s] whole World Cup just there.
”Those four weeks are the biggest four weeks of a bloke’s last four years.
”I don’t think now is the time to bring in those rules. You don’t want to see the showcards of the World Cup not playing in big games.”
Palu said it had brought home the ramifications of ill-discipline or foul play.
”I’ve definitely got to be a bit careful,” the powerful number eight said.
”I saw the tackle, I didn’t think it was too bad.
”There’s times when I’ve gone for a big tackle and mistimed it and gone high … but that’s rugby, so long as the other guy’s not badly injured it should be fine.”
Hooker Moore said although the Burger tackle looked bad he could not justify the length of his ban.
”He’s a huge player for them so he’s a big loss.”
Skipper Stirling Mortlock and Connolly will stress the importance of discipline to the team before Saturday’s pivotal Pool B match against Wales in Cardiff.
”I think the world of rugby, the IRB particularly, are trying to put a marker in this tournament for the future of the game for what’s accepted and not accepted,” Connolly said.
”I can see how we play and how we behave at World Cups at the top level influences how the game is administrated and judged down the grades.
”I think in this day and age we can’t criticise that whatsoever.” — AFP
