Joe Schmidt has fired again at accusations Australia use unlawful techniques on the breakdown following his aspect’s 25-7 defeat to England on Saturday.
A report in The Telegraph this week stated England coach Steve Borthwick had identified some techniques allegedly utilized by Australia — specifically intentionally coming into rucks from the aspect — to referee Nika Amashukeli forward of the conflict.
Captain Harry Wilson rejected the claims within the week and Schmidt additionally dismissed them with statistics to again up his level in his post-match new convention.
“Yeah, I feel it’s kind of of gamesmanship,” Schmidt stated. “We have had, up till at the moment, 1,256 attacking rucks. There’s two gamers at the least in every of these, that is 25,000 ruck entries. We had one yellow card, nobody has left the sphere injured on account of our clear outs.
“We’ve not ever been excessively penalized for aspect entry. So I at all times discover these issues disappointing however not distracting. All we will do is concentrate on what we do and attempt to do it in addition to we will.”
Schmidt stated he didn’t consider the report had any baring on how the sport was officiated.
Australia journey to Udine subsequent week to tackle Italy, and Schmidt stated his aspect are feeling the impacts of a hefty journey schedule which has seen them go from Australia to play in Japan final week earlier than the conflict with England on Saturday.
Nevertheless, he insisted it is not an excuse for his or her defeat on Saturday.
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“All we will do is attempt to freshen gamers from week to week and clearly you get slightly little bit of attrition from week to week with a number of guys selecting up accidents and never being obtainable,” Schmidt stated.
“So we do not wish to make excuses. England have been very, excellent tonight.
“I feel groups that come right here, the depth of their aerial chase, the depth of their breakdown and their ball carry the bench that they introduced on, I feel six British Irish Lions off the bench.
“That is energy and depth, that is one thing we’re attempting to construct in Australia, however that takes a little bit of time.”
