WELLINGTON: Frustrated Wallabies coach Michael Cheika laid into referee Romain Poite after his side were beaten 29-9 by the All Blacks in the Rugby Championship on Saturday, saying the French official constantly ignored his captain Stephen Moore.
The All Blacks' victory ensured the world champions retained the Bledisloe Cup, the symbol of trans-Tasman supremacy, for the 14th successive season after they snatched it back from Australia in 2003.
Cheika's side have now lost six successive games, which includes a 3-0 home series loss to England, and with a raft of injuries are struggling as their squad depth is stretched to the limit.
The 49-year-old, who had problems with Poite's interpretations of the scrum in the series against England, said he felt the Frenchman, and fellow referee Nigel Owens, were proving difficult to deal with.
"I was bitterly disappointed," Cheika said when asked about the referee's performance after his side conceded 15 penalties to the All Blacks' 12.
"I am on the record with the referees' boss Alain Rolland about the treatment to our captain and our players by Romain Poite and Nigel Owens over the last year.
"There were times there was a break in play when the national captain of Australia was asking the referee 'when might be the opportunity for me to talk to you' and he absolutely ignored him.
"There has to be an opportunity when he can speak to the referee. The referee might not like the captain personally but he has to afford him that opportunity if he is doing it for his opponents," Cheika added.
"I don't know if it's subconscious or not, but it's there and it has to be dealt with."
Cheika also felt Poite had been harsh to sin bin rookie lock Adam Coleman for a dangerous charge on Ben Smith, while a forearm from Dane Coles to Scott Fardy's head only received a penalty.
"Maybe one person's head is more valued than another person's head," Cheika said. "Maybe that's the way things are rolling at the moment."
Moore, who was told several times by Poite to calm his players down after they engaged in niggly, off-the-ball tactics, would not be drawn on what was happening on the field.
"I think Cheik has pretty much said it all," Moore said. "I think it's probably better if I leave what Cheik has said there."
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