Prime Minister leaps into spear tackle row

Richie McCaw is upended in a tackle by Lote Tuqiri of the Wallabies. Phil Walter / Getty Images

Prime Minister Helen Clark cast Anzac relations aside today to accuse the Wallabies of "several acts of assault" on All Blacks rugby captain Richie McCaw.

Miss Clark was among the 47,000-strong crowd at Eden Park on Saturday night to see the All Blacks seal the Tri-Nations with a bitterly fought 34-27 win.

She was horrified by a Lote Tuqiri spear tackle on McCaw in the 44th minute, when the Wallaby winger sent the All Blacks skipper headfirst into the ground. A sickening impact left McCaw prone and clutching his head and neck.

Tuqiri, who went unpunished at the time, was later cited by South African SANZAR judicial commissioner Willem Venter, and banned for five games.

Asked on NewstalkZB whether Tuqiri should have been sent off, Miss Clark showed little of her usual political restraint.

"One hesitates as just someone in the stand to voice an opinion, but certainly I felt someone should have been sent off," she said.

"I thought it was absolutely appalling. We witnessed several acts of assault against the All Blacks captain and it was very, very ugly to see."

Openside flanker Phil Waugh set the tone for the Wallabies' "Get McCaw", approach - clouting him with an unpunished forearm jolt in the 12th minute.

Abrasive blindside loose forward Rocky Elsom soon after hauled McCaw away from a breakdown.

Tuqiri maintained there was no malice or intent in the tackle, which left McCaw dazed with a sore neck.

The Wallabies argued McCaw contributed to his own demise when he sought to change direction in an effort to retrieve the ball.

- NZPA