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Wallabies reject uncontested scrum claims against Boks

Captain Allan Ala’alatoa and fellow prop Angus Bell were both forced off at half-time with replacement James Slipper following them in the second half (Photo Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Senior Wallabies prop Allan Alaalatoa has rubbished allegations that they faked front-row injuries to avoid scrummaging against South Africa in their recent Rugby Championship Test in Perth.

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SA Rugby has reportedly made a request to World Rugby to investigate Australia’s injuries that led to uncontested scrums after the Wallabies lost all three props – Angus Bell, James Slipper and Alaalatoa – during the match.

Bell suffered a cut above his eye and Alaalatoa failed a head injury assessment (HIA), with both not returning after halftime. Slipper then also suffered a head knock.

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Match officials deemed the lack of props meant it was no longer safe to continue with contested scrums.

Slipper’s exit occurred just after Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus turned to the “bomb squad” – bringing on Rugby World Cup-winning forwards Ox Nche and Malcolm Marx – leading to the allegations.

The South Africans still triumphed easily, running over the top of the Wallabies in the second half for a 30-12 scoreline.

Ahead of their second Test against the Pumas in Argentina, Alaalatoa said his team wanted to scrum against the world No.1 side and considered it a strength.

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Indeed, the Wallabies’ scrum success rate in the tournament is 95.7 per cent, exactly 10 per cent higher than the Springboks.

“Do they think I was trying to fake an HIA or something?” Alaalatoa asked after being made aware of the report.

“Mate, we want to scrum, that’s what we want to do, especially as front-rowers, and that’s a game where you want to take on that challenge, you don’t want to shy away from that.

“We’re at a stage in our team where we want to keep growing and keep fronting up against the best, so you never want to shy away from that.”

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Among the players to have led the Wallabies this year, Alaalatoa said he’d never seen a run of injuries like it in his 72 Test caps.

With replacement hooker Josh Nasser also forced off, leaving the team temporarily with 14 players, coach Joe Schmidt described the situation as “bizarre”.

“I remember Joe (Schmidt) at the end of that game saying he’s never been a part of that game where things like that have happened, and I don’t think I have as well,” Alaalatoa said.

The Wallabies take on the Pumas in Santa Fe in northeast Argentina looking for back-to-back victories after a 20-19 thriller in La Plata.

Alaalatoa said the tourists took some confidence from a win over the Pumas, who shocked New Zealand in the opening round, pleased with their patience and endeavour.

He said their poor restarts throughout the match had been a focus for improvement at training this week.

“That’s definitely an area of growth for us,” the 30-year-old Brumbies skipper said.

“Maybe the weather had something to do with that, but also a communication thing between the (forward) pod and our wingers there, but definitely an area we need to improve.”

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5 Comments
M
Mitch 78 days ago

Well said, Allan. Unfortunately, the perception that Australia wants to depower scrums is what has enabled some people to form the view that Australia manipulated the laws to get uncontested scrums. Anybody who believes Australia gamed the system to get uncontested scrums, come to the table with irrefutable evidence.

T
Terry24 78 days ago

There is no substantiation for Erasmus' claim and no chance of proving it. He knows Australia didn't do this. He doesn't want uncontested scrums so he is throwing shade hoping for a change in subs rules that will eliminate the possibility of incontested scrums. He should just say that instead of throwing dirt at players and other teams.

J
JK 78 days ago

Props are among the toughest players on the field normally...

J
JD 78 days ago

If it's white, quacks and looks like a duck, it's almost certainly a duck. I remember that they also denied sandpapering the cricket ball. Nobody will ultimately know the truth, but if I were to bet, I'd give pretty long odds that they engineered the uncontested scrum saga.

O
OJohn 78 days ago

We have a kiwi coach so a cunning attempt to cheat wouldn't be surprising would it ?

Do they have a point about the protocol about standing down after HIA ?

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JW 9 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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