Wales move to tackle issues around scrum and breakdown

There is a growing fear of how referees are calling scrums and the breakdown as the World Cup moves towards the final pool matches.

While there has always been anxiety over how officials judge certain areas of the game, that has become closer to disquiet and concern with Wales having called a meeting with Joel Jutge, World Rugby's high performance match official manager, after their win over England.

The Wales forwards also had a recent clear-the-air meeting as to how to play referees and the abrasive Australian pack this weekend. While both teams have qualified from their pool, they are playing to avoid a probable meeting with South Africa in the quarter-finals and New Zealand in the semi-finals of the competition.

Wales were heavily penalised against England and Fiji and face a side who had by far the better of England in the set-piece last weekend. “To have good dialogue with the referees is key,” said Wales forwards coach Robin McBryde. “We’ve been in touch with Joel Jutge, especially after the England match. That’s the only contact we have had with the referees. We’re trying to be as legal as possible about the way we go about our work and we were under pressure against Fiji.

Agenda

“

Samson Lee

and

Tomas Francis

(tighthead props), who pride themselves on that facet of play, spoke in front of the group, as did both hookers (Scott Baldwin and Ken Owens), and the scrumhalves were a big part of that meeting,” added McBryde

“It was good and, if we can get the details right we’ll be okay. Tactically there are certain things you can change to improve the scrum. It’s a different referee, which always changes things.”

The former Wales and Lions hooker has given credit to Michael Cheika's decision to invite former Argentina captain Mario Ledesma into the Australian team to improve an area of their game which in the past was a weakness. Rule changes in the setpiece, according to McBryde gives the team not putting the ball in an advantage as their hooker remains stable on both feet.

“New Zealand struggled there against Georgia. It’s very much gone back to the art of scrummaging under the new laws,” said McBryde. “When you’re trying to get a clean strike, if you don’t get that quite right, the opposition are gunning for you. In many ways it’s easier to scrummage when the opposition put the ball in. If the hooker is striking the advantage is with the team not putting the ball in.

“Fiji put England and Australia under pressure but we were under pressure on our own ball (against Fiji) when the hooker was striking.”

Availability

A number of Welsh players are likely to be available including fullback

Liam Williams

, who was taken off after being kicked on the head by England’s

Tom Wood

. He is currently under the return to play protocols. McBryde added that Australian duo

Michael Hooper

, who has been cited and could miss the game against Wales as well

David Pocock

“work illegally” in the way they play the break down.

“Hooper tends to smash the ball carrier and Pocock pounces on the ball,” said McBryde