Refs should stick to guns on sinbin warnings - Gregan

Australian captain George Gregan wants greater consistency from referees in carrying through with warnings to sinbin players for repeated infringements.

Gregan's plea came as the issue of whether All Blacks flanker Richie McCaw's prowess at the breakdown verged on the illegal was raised again on the eve of tonight's test in Auckland.

Wallabies coach John Connolly has told an Australian newspaper that being skipper helped McCaw avoid getting yellow cards.

Speaking to journalists after his captain's run at Eden Park, Gregan said it would be "a big call" for a referee to sinbin a team's captain.

"I think it's a big call for a referee in a big test match - if it's a repeat infringement and it's the captain - to put him in the bin," he said.

But as to whether McCaw's status as skipper and his reputation in the tackled ball area gave him an advantage with referees, Gregan said it was the job of an openside flanker "to get away with things".

"All we can do is play the game the way the referee interprets it on the field," the 125-test halfback said.

"It's not all about Richie McCaw and the breakdown. There's a fair bit more to the game than just that."

Nevertheless, Gregan also said referees needed to follow through with a threat to show a yellow card for repeated infringing.

"The courage of the referee then is that if there's that next infringement, they have to be true to their word," the Wallabies leader said.

"If that's the case, then everyone is happy, because it's consistent.

"As soon as there's inconsistency, that's a grey area."

The new-look midfield partnership of Luke McAlister and young centre Isaia Toeava would be a target, but the Wallabies had to get to them first.

"Any time there's an inexperienced pairing, the backline will look to test them," Gregan said.

"But the challenge is putting ourselves in the position to do that."

Meanwhile, Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper reported that the Wallabies had sent a complaint about McCaw to the International Rugby Board after the All Blacks' 32-12 win in Christchurch last month.

The complaint, critical of South African referee Jonathan Kaplan, was contained in a post-match report.

The Australians, who had flanker Ricky Elsom sinbinned when they were up 7-0, argued that McCaw should have been sinbinned for conceding three successive penalties in the second half.

Asked his thoughts on why McCaw had not had to cool his heels on the sidelines, Connolly told the Telegraph: "Being captain helps."

- NZPA