THE FRENCH rugby tourists were angered yesterday by allegations of eye gouging, headbutts and biting arising from their controversial onepoint loss to the Australian Barbarians on Tuesday.

Barbarians players made the claims in the wake of a fierce game against the Frenchmen, who lost 26-25 in Newcastle despite scoring three tries to the Barbarians' one. The French were penalised 26 times during the match by Australian referee Stuart Dickinson - the Barbarians were only penalised nine times.

France's assistant coach Pierre Villepreux snapped when questioned about the claims when the French team arrived in Brisbane from Newcastle yesterday.

"Please, please ... we are very correct, stop with that," Villepreux said. "We are as correct as you (Australians) are."

Australian Rugby Union officials said it was doubtful there would be any further action concerning the allegations, however.

"Once again (we are penalised), but we don't understand why. We play the same game in Europe and we have no penalties against us. We are the most disciplined team in the Five Nations. Why we find this problem in Australia I don't know," said Villepreux.

He said it seemed defending sides weren't allowed to contest the ball. "There is a way they play rugby in the Super 12 where the team who has the ball is sure to keep it," he said. "You have no avenues for the defence to have the ball. It is so in serum and line out with the new laws, but now also in ruck and maul.

"The legality to recover the ball is one of the big rules of rugby. If we change that, we have one team that plays and another that defends. This is not in the nature of rugby, it's rugby league.

He said the tourists were being penalised for playing the ball when on their feet, while opposition players were able to hold the ball after being tackled.

"In Europe, if you are tackled you have to leave (release) the ball immediately but here, no. The referee also doesn't accept that you can contest the ball if you are on your feet.

Under rugby union rules a player who is tackled must release the ball either by passing immediately or, if on the ground, by rolling clear. An opponent can play or pick up the released ball if he is still on his feet, but like a tackled player, must stay clear if he is on the ground.

Better news for the French was the pending return of goal kicking centre Christophe Lamaison and fly half Alain Penaud for the Brisbane Test. Both missed the first international with injuries.