SA Rugby have requested a formal investigation into the circumstances that led to uncontested scrums between the Wallabies and Springboks in Perth.
The Wallabies suffered back-to-back losses to the Springboks after the world champions powered to a bonus-point victory in Perth, despite fielding a team featuring 10 changes from the side that won a week earlier in Brisbane.
The game was reduced to uncontested scrums for most of the second half, after Angus Bell, captain Alan Alaalatoa and centurion prop James Slipper were all forced off the field in the space of 10 minutes.
This effectively neutralised part of the Boks’ Bomb Squad tactic, as the more experienced Bok front row of Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx and Vincent Koch were unable to scrum.
According to Sunday newspaper Rapport, the Springboks are skeptical over the extent to which Australia’s props were injured and, following a discussion in the camp, have asked World Rugby to investigate.
The Wallabies will have to submit medical reports to prove that all three props did indeed have head injuries.
There is a reported concern in the camp that if the substitutions were tactical rather than injury-enforced, other teams may do the same as Australia to avoid scrumming against a stronger front row.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said after the game that he was also left perplexed by the injuries that led to uncontested scrums.
Photo: Paul Kane/Getty Images
The post Boks want Wallabies’ scrum tactics investigated appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Src: sarugbymag.co.za
