Oz front-rowers want greater consistency from refs

REFEREES NEED to be more consistent with their calls at scrum time, says Wallabies prop James Slipper.

It was an opinion that was also shared by hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau.

Australia conceded four scrummaging penalties during its loss to Ireland at Eden Park two weeks ago. Ireland was only penalised once.

“I don’t think the call’s the problem, it’s more about the consistency,” says Slipper, who was speaking at a charity lunch in Christchurch yesterday.

“I think if each ref was more consistent in every call throughout the game and throughout the tournament, I think it would go a long way to rectifying the scrum infringements. ... It’s not so much the pause and the distance of the call, I think it’s more the consistency.”

Polota-Nau agreed with his front-row colleague's sentiments.

“If that consistency is there it makes for a better spectacle for the scrum to be a bigger showcase, rather than the backs getting all the limelight.”