“It would be pretty hard for the match review guy to miss”, he said.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, World Rugby also confirmed there was nothing to be investigated with regards to the meeting that took place between South African official Jaco Peyper and All Blacks coach Steve Hansen prior to Saturday’s match.
Hansen, however, bristled at the report and said he had not met with Poite at all before the clash, which also doubled as the second match in the trans-Tasman Bledisloe Cup series.
There is a perception if Cheika and Wallabies scrum coach Mario Ledesma hypothetically met an assistant, without the All Blacks knowing, before a Test they went on to win and the offer was not extended to their opposition, they would face the same scrutiny as Hansen and Peyper.
Cheika said the contact was clear for all to see.
There is no suggestion from the Wallabies a meeting with match officials would do anything to change the scoreline in Wellington in which the All Blacks clinched their 14th consecutive Bledisloe Cup.
“You’ve got one team who are trying to prove a point not only to themselves but to their country, that they actually are proud men who want to wear their Wallaby jersey”.
Australian news media reported that the Australian Rugby Union planned to lay a complaint with World Rugby that Hansen had breached the rules by having a private meeting with Poite before the Wellington Test.
“It’s quite sad that’s come out because it’s not true”, he said.
Footage shows Franks appears to make contact with Douglas’ eye while attempting to steal the ball or disrupt the Wallabies driving maul, before looking around and checking referee Romain Poite did not witness anything. “We don’t meet the ref, we haven’t for 18 to 24 months because it’s just a waste of time”.
Franks will be free to play for the remainder of the All Blacks’ Rugby Championship campaign.
World Rugby, the game’s governing body, has made it a priority to clamp down on gouging recently.
“They’ve seen the way certain players in Australia behave and they’re very wary about how Wallabies players approach them, even right up to the captain and that’s something that the Wallabies have gotta fix”.
Advertisement
“If you listen to the commentary, you’ve got to pick your moments”.
