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Michael Cheika tables David Pocock refereeing conspiracy theory

By Ian Cameron
David Pocock

Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika has queried why all three test match officials were talking about David Pocock before a ball was kicked in their 39-21 Rugby World Cup victory over Fiji in Sapporo.

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The men in gold eventually ran in six tries to two over their Pacific neighbours but they were made to work by the Fijians who took a two-point advantage into halftime and extended their lead with an early second-half try.

Deflecting from a question about Reece Hodge’s questionable table on Pecili Yato, Cheika instead tabled a potential conspiracy to focus on the Wallabies star backrow.

“I’m not quite sure what’s going on but the team of three were talking about David Pocock before the first minute of the game.

“I’m not sure why. I heard his name being mentioned between them on the commentary at least half a dozen times. He hadn’t even been involved in a ruck. I don’t why the focus is upon him. He’s only been in one game.

“He’s been out all year. I don’t what he’s done but there is a severe focus on him. His name is being called all the time.

“So I was a little bit surprised by that.”

He eventually addressed the Hodge tackle that saw Yato taken out of the game after he failed a HIA in the first half.

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“To be honest I really didn’t see it. I didn’t even see it in the game.

“The one thing I know is that the Fijian captain went up and spoke to the referee and asked him to refer it, which he did, and it went to the TMO and he told him that the tackle was fine. And you’ve got to go with what they say.”

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Fiji came out in predictably physical fashion, mixing in big hits in defense with some powerful carries and flair in attack to open up a 21-12 lead after 45 minutes.

But as the second half wore on, Michael Cheika’s men found their spark and turned around a mistake-ridden start to pile on the points and run away with an important bonus-point win.

The Australians scored two first half tries, the first by skipper Michael Hooper who barged through would-be tacklers for his, before Reece Hodge finished neatly in the corner of some slick hands for Australia’s second.

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But those tries weren’t good enough to give the Wallabies the lead at the break, with Fijian standout Peceli Yato registering the first five-pointer inside 8 minutes of play and Ben Volavola landing three penalty goals to send Australia to the dressing rooms down 12-14.

It wasn’t until midway through the second stanza that the Wallabies pack took control of the match, with hooker Tolu Latu’s powerful effort off a maul in the 57th minute opening the floodgates.

Latu notched another one from a lineout drive five minutes later, after Fiji centre Levani Botia was yellow-carded, and the Wallabies continued to heap the set- piece pressure on a tiring Fijian pack.

The backs would also eventually get in on the action with Fijian-born duo Samu Kerevi and Marika Koroibete crossing late to finish the job and give the Wallabies the result they were looking for to kick off their Rugby World Cup 2019 campaign.

Wallabies 39 (Tolu Latu 2, Michael Hooper, Reece Hodge, Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete tries; Matt To’omua 2, Christian Lealiifano cons; Reece Hodge pen) defeated Fiji 21 (Peceli Yato, Waisea Nayacalevu tries; Ben Volavola con; Ben Volavola 3 pens)

Wallabies
1.Scott Sio 2.Tolu Latu 3. Allan Alaalatoa 4.Izack Rodda 5.Rory Arnold 6.David Pocock 7.Michael Hooper (c) 8.Isi Naisarani 9. Nic White 10.Christian Lealiifano 11.Marika Koroibete 12.Samu Kerevi (vc) 13.James O’Connor 14.Reece Hodge 15.Kurtley Beale
Reserves: 16.Jordan Uelese 17.James Slipper 18.Sekope Kepu 19.Adam Coleman 20.Lukhan Salakaia-Loto 21.Will Genia 22.Matt To’omua 23.Dane Haylett-Petty

Fiji
1.Campese Ma’afu 2.Sam Matavesi 3.Reni Ravai 4.Tevita Cavubati 5.Leone Nakarawa 6.Dominiko Waqaniburotu (c) 7.Peceli Yato 8.Viliame Mata 9.Frank Lomani 10.Ben Volavola 11.Semi Radradra 12.Levani Botia 13.Waisea Nayacalevu 14.Josua Tuisova 15.Kini Murimurivalu
Reserves: 16.Tuvere Vugakoto 17.Eroni Mawi 18.Manasa Saulo 19.Tevita Ratuva 20.Mosese Voka 21.Nikola Matawalu 22.Alivereti Veitokani 23.Vereniki Goneva

Wallabies substitutions
52 mins – Genia for White, 57 mins – Salakaia-Loto for Naisarani, 59 mins – To’omua for Lealiifano, 63 mins – Slipper for Sio, 63 mins – Uelese for Latu, 63 mins – Kepu for Alaalatoa, 68 mins – Coleman for Arnold, 70 mins – Haylett-Petty for Beale

– additional reporting rugby.com.au

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Jon 2 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 5 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

15 Go to comments
A
Adrian 7 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

15 Go to comments
T
Trevor 9 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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