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SYDNEY - Richie McCaw found an unlikely ally yesterday with Wallabies backrower David Lyons defending the All Blacks rugby captain following claims he cheats.
South African captain Johann Muller was fuming after his side's 33-6 Tri-Nations loss to the All Blacks in Christchurch last Saturday when the visitors had their openside flanker Pedrie Wannanberg sent to the sinbin for playing the ball on the ground.
McCaw was earlier penalised for the same offence but not given a yellow card by referee Stuart Dickinson.
Muller said referees were too scared to send McCaw to the sinbin.
However, Lyons, who was named at No 8 for Saturday night's Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup decider at Auckland's Eden Park, yesterday said McCaw was only doing what quality openside flankers were supposed to do - walk a fine line when it comes to the rules.
"The thing about the good seven's [openside flankers] is that they play on the edge all of the time and all of them at sometime will be criticised by different people so you've got to expect that," Lyons said.
"Richie is a great player."
Wallabies coach John Connolly agreed with Lyons on McCaw's talent but he wasn't so assertive when asked if the All Black's skipper intimidates referees.
"I'm not sure, I hope not," Connolly said.
Connolly said he would have a chat with Welsh referee Nigel Owens about McCaw before Saturday's match.
"We'll talk to the referees, but the referees do their homework these days and I think Richie McCaw is a great player but he plays very close to the wind," Connolly said.
"The issue with Richie is that he does roll around the other side and slides around the side of scrums and he gets away with what he can and that's fine."
- AAP
