Foley blasts 'soft' referee

Western Force coach Michael Foley is likely to join compatriot Michael Cheika in the SANZAR dock after spitting the dummy at a referee.

Following his team's 7-30 loss to the Crusaders in Christchurch on Friday Foley said some of the calls of New Zealand referee Mike Fraser were "soft".

The Force coach was upset with the way the breakdown was controlled by Fraser and said one of the two penalty tries awarded late in the game that broke his side was a soft option.

Speaking to The West Australian newspaper Foley stopped short of saying decisions had cost the Force the game, but he insisted they had a bearing on the contest.

"From a refereeing perspective there were a lot of soft options taken," Foley told the newspaper.

"At least one of those penalty tries … and a number of times round the breakdown, there was one side being watched and one side not.

"That didn't have a bearing on the result, but the refereeing may have had a bearing at times."

It is almost certain SANZAR will call Foley to book, after the Waratahs coach, Cheika, was slapped with a fine and a suspended sentence over his recent off-the-field behaviour.

Source: The West Australian