Wallabies cry foul over English 'tactics'

Eye-poking and hair-pulling stops Smith in his tracks

Not for the first time the Australian rugby team cried foul over the opponents' tactics ahead of a major international. This time the "culprits" are England, who apparently resorted to eye-poking and hair-pulling to stop loose forward George Smith from winning the battle at the breakdown.

Australia's defensive coach John Muggleton, speaking to the media ahead of the second test in Melbourne on Saturday, turned up the heat by claiming the England forwards sabotaged Smith's dangerous game with elbows and trips at each set piece.

"We were a little bit hamstrung in first phase because most of it was without George Smith who was held in every scrum and tripped going away from every line-out," Muggleton told AAP.

"George Smith is one of those blokes that it's quite obvious if you let him get to the breakdown, it's very hard to beat him.

"So they obviously had the tactic of not letting him get to the breakdown and therefore securing their first-phase possession.

"It was quite subtle some times but very open at other times, and I would expect the referee … would correct it this week."

Wallaby coach John Connolly helped stir the pot by saying that he may talk with New Zealand referee Steve Walsh before Saturday's second Test to ensure there were no repeats offences.

England coach Andy Robinson obviously denied any wrongdoing by his team – not that anybody would expect any coach to ever admit to employing illegal tactics.

"I can't remember that happening," Robinson told AAP.

"The only incident I saw happen in the game was George have a shot at Pat Sanderson.

"There was an elbow to the head."

But Muggleton labelled England captain Sanderson a "schoolyard bully", saying he got what he deserved from Smith in an act that was spotted by referee Alan Lewis.

"If you go round pulling people's hair or poking the finger in the eye, and they belt you, you probably deserve it, don't you," he said.