Straeuli blames referee for big margin

South African coach Rudolf Straeuli laid much blame on Australian referee Stuart Dickinson for his team's 21-point loss to the All Blacks.

The South African media suggested that the South African Rugby Football Union could lodge a complaint against Dickinson.

The media said Dickinson was also involved in a number of questionable decisions against the Springboks previously and that South African teams in the Super 12 had also suffered under his control.

Straeuli said the All Blacks deserved to win, but not by 21 points.

Several decisions by Dickinson and touch judges Steve Lander (England) and Wayne Erickson (Australia) had annoyed him.

The decision to rule a forward pass when flanker Joe van Niekerk broke clear and not penalise the All Blacks for not throwing the ball five metres for Mark Hammett's try cost his team dearly.

No 8 Scott Robertson took the ball inside the five-metre line before putting Hammett through, Straeuli said.

"In life you are going to get marginal decisions and we got a couple of them. I didn't think that Joe's pass was forward and to us it didn't look as if the ball went five metres when the try was scored by the hooker."

Straeuli said that while Erickson contributed to the sinbinning of his midfield back Marius Joubert, Lander didn't do anything about Hammett's try, even though the throw was taken right in front of him.

"The scoreline wasn't a true reflection of the match, but we have to go back and work hard and build from here," he said.

It was Straeuli's first loss as South Africa's coach.

Straeuli and his captain, Corne Krige, remained upbeat about their team's prospects in the competition.

"This was our first loss but there were a lot of positives," he said. "However, if you make the errors we did, you will be punished - that's what comes with youth.

"There's a lot of excitement in this side and a lot of eagerness. But if you kick badly and give them two soft tries you can't expect to win."

The Springboks flew to Brisbane yesterday to prepare for Saturday's match against Australia.

Krige felt the Wallabies provided his team with similar challenges to the All Blacks, but said they weren't as hard as the New Zealanders.

"We carried the ball well and looked dangerous, and I'm sure we'll extend our game in Brisbane," he said. "I think we'll be better prepared for Australia now that we've had a hard game."

- NZPA