Rugby World Cup 2015: Cheika gives Joubert his backing

Australia's head coach Michael Cheika gestures as he arrives for a training session at Twickenham Stadium. Photo / AP.

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika acknowledges he's not always been onside with referees, but believes on this occasion he has to give one his backing.

On the third day of the maelstrom around South African referee Craig Joubert's decision to award Australia a match-winning penalty in the death throes of their quarter-final against Scotland, Cheika completed a hat-trick of media appearances on the subject.

However, this media conference was the first since World Rugby issued a statement confirming Joubert got it wrong penalising a Scottish player for offside and the Australian was clearly frustrated by the public nature of the review.

"I suppose we'll start accumulating the list and send in the list of every match," Cheika told reporters at the team's Teddington base.

"I don't know if the Samoans are putting in the list about the knock on before the try when Scotland scored at the end. But if they're going to review them all, we'll start making the list I suppose. It's a bit surprising because no other decision in the tournament has been reviewed, has it?"

Cheika has his own spiky history with referees, including a warning earlier this year for approaching Jaco Peyper at halftime in the Waratahs' match against the Blues in Sydney over the penalty count in the match.

"I can't seem like I'm looking after the ref either, because it's not like I've come from a perfect, pristine background of relationships with officialdom. But, one thing I will say is this. Once the game's done and dusted, I'm as good as gold with anyone. The game's on the field, in the white lines".

"I felt we should have had a couple of scrum penalties before, so I don't know if they're reviewing those ones, if there's going to be a document come out from World Rugby for that one."

Cheika, who has led the Wallabies into the World Cup semi-finals after less than a year in charge, believes Joubert has been given a raw deal.

"I genuinely feel for the referee. That's so unfair. No other referees have this stuff put out there like that and Craig Joubert is a very good referee."

Cheika has also taken aim at the commentators who climbed into Joubert.

Scottish great Gavin Hastings and former England halfback Matt Dawson were among former players who launched into Joubert at fulltime, both about the penalty decision and his sprint off the park in almost the same action as blowing the final whistle.

"People have taken the game off the field and got quite personal about it. People who are supposedly big people in the game and earning their living from the game as well. Commentary and stuff like that."

On the positive front for the Wallabies was news that prop Scott Sio's scans on an elbow injury were better than expected, leaving the door open for him to potentially play against Argentina.

Flanker-turned-number eight David Pocock is also in line to return from a calf injury, with Cheika feeling positive about his chances of playing rather than simply hopeful.