NewsBite

Rugby World Cup 2019 | Michael Cheika unloads after Wallabies 29-25 defeat against Wales

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has not held back after a “game changing” controversy in an important World Cup clash against Wales.

Andrew McMurtryAndrew McMurtry
@AndrewMcMurtry
4 min read
September 30, 2019 - 5:45AM
Wales held on for the four-point win.
Wales held on for the four-point win.

The Wallabies have suffered a heartbreaking 29-25 loss to Wales in Tokyo.

It was Wales’ first win over the Wallabies in a World Cup match since 1987, but continued the run of incredibly tight battles between the two teams.

The loss also leaves the Wallabies needing to win over Uruguay and Georgia to claim their spot in the next round, setting up a potential battle with England in the quarter finals.

Stream the Rugby World Cup 2019 on KAYO SPORTS. Every match Live & On-Demand on your TV, computer, mobile or tablet. Get your 14 day free trial >

Here are the talking points from the match.

‘I’M EMBARRASSED’: CHEIKA UNLOADS

Just before halftime, the game changed on a dime.

Wales led 13-8 after controlling much of the half, but the Wallabies were firing back.

Coming out of his own half, Australian centre Samu Kerevi went for a charge and put his arm up to brace himself for a tackle from Welsh fly-half Rhys Patchell that appeared to be going high.

The commentators felt it could have gone either way — Kerevi’s high fend or Patchell’s high tackle.

The referees were all over the clash.
The referees were all over the clash.

Aussie skipper Michael Hooper defended his player to the referee after a four-minute review of the play.

“Can we not run into the tackle anymore?” Hooper said. “That’s terrible tackle technique and he’s just done a very good carry. So we can’t carry if that’s going to be the ruling. We’ll get called for it all day.”

Post-match, Michael Cheika lashed the referees for the decision. “It’s funny, I thought I’d seen that tackle before, it could have been Reece Hodge,” Cheika began.

Cheika was referring to the Wallabies winger who was suspended for three weeks after a hit in the match against Fiji.

“I’m not sure, but when our guy makes that tackle and has the high tackle framework in his head, he gets suspended,” Cheika continued. “When this guy doesn’t have the high tackle framework in his head, we get penalised. You’ve seen it, you don’t need me ... As a rugby player, a former rugby player, I’m embarrassed about that.”

Cheika was fuming after the game after several calls went against the Wallabies.

He admitted he wasn’t sure about whether Kerevi’s charge, which had his elbow into the chest of Patchell, was illegal or not before taking another swipe.

“I don’t know the rules anymore, honestly, I don’t know the rules anymore,” he said.

Samu Kerevi was penalised for this.
Samu Kerevi was penalised for this.

Wallabies great Phil Kearns said it was a mess for World Rugby with players confused about how to run and tackle.

“They are thinking about that sort of stuff and rugby is instinctive and it’s very difficult to do everything perfectly,” he said. “The disappointing thing for me is that we’re going into that press conference talking about referees and not about what a great game it was and that’s a pity.”

Wales kicked the penalty goal to go up 16-8 and then immediately scored through fly-half Gareth Davis, who appeared to be offside before intercepting a pass and running the length of the field.

The commentators picked it up straight away, but no review came with the Welsh scoring a 10-point swing into the break.

Kearns added the decision not to check the try was a “game-changing moment”.

At halftime, Kearns lashed the refereeing performance by French referee Romain Poite.

“The whole refereeing display has been disgraceful, not only by Romain Poite but by Skein as well,” Phil Kearns said on Fox Sports. “Wales have played some smart rugby, the Wallabies have made some dumb mistakes but it’s just embarrassing that the referee hasn’t gone back to look how far ... he’s even two metres in front of his own defensive line. That’s an embarrassment.”

Gareth Davies was very, very quick to the ball.
Gareth Davies was very, very quick to the ball.

Former Wallabies star Stephen Hoiles said it was a “shocking decision”.

“If you’re going to waste five minutes of the game checking a ball carry, you’ve got to check for an off-side,” he said. “We haven’t seen enough replays to prove that it was an off-side but that there looks to me ... The fact that we can go back and check a ball carry, and Michael Hooper made a very good point what is the ball carrier meant to do? All of this came on the back of the terrible decision on the back of Samu Kerevi’s ball carry, it’s a huge momentum swing back to Wales.

“This is what happens when World Rugby make a weak statement after week one and say they’re not happy with the refereeing, you make referees paranoid, TMO’s become paranoid and you get a 55-minute first 40 minutes.”

Many on social media were furious at the decisions.

HOOPER ‘GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER’

The Welsh didn’t have it all their own way either with Michael Hooper lucky not to cop a yellow card after a late hit on Wales star Dan Biggar.

Early in the first half, Welsh fly-half Dan Biggar ran around, but passed before the Aussie skipper flattened the number 10. Biggar winced on the ground.

Social media thought Hooper was lucky to stay on the field.
Social media thought Hooper was lucky to stay on the field.

It was sent to review and the commentators thought it would be a yellow card at least but he got away with a penalty, as it was deemed the contact wasn’t high, just late.

It was a huge call in the Aussies’ favour, but fans slammed the inconsistency.

Biggar was then taken off in the 28th minute for a HIA after saving a try.

AUSSIE ‘GAMBLE’ BACKFIRES

Bernard Foley didn’t have a great game.
Bernard Foley didn’t have a great game.

Australia went into the game with new halves for the match against Wales with Bernard Foley getting his first shot at fly half at the expense of Christian Lealiifano, while Will Genia was brought in for Nic White at scrum half.

It lasted 50 minutes before both players were hooked.

Fans lashed the decision to bring Foley into the team with Matt Toomua immediately sparking a Wallabies try in the 45th minute to Dane Haylett-Petty.

Australia romped back into the match, making it a one-point ball game in the 67th minute on the back of the momentum switch.

Toomua is shaping as Australia’s fly-half saviour after sparking the side against Fiji as well.

More related stories

Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/rugby-world-cup/rugby-world-cup-2019-michael-cheika-unloads-after-controversy/news-story/f946f6652cd105044d3b03cc1b43b0bf