Wales have been accused of making a "cynical attempt" to pressurise inexperienced English referee Matthew Carley by starting a scrum war of words ahead of Saturday's Six Nations clash with France.
Former England and Lions fly-half and Sky Sports commentator Stuart Barnes, writing in his column for The Times, said that Wales' comments about the set-piece antics of France and Ireland "weren't cheating as such, but were cynical."
Referring to the quotes from forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys and prop Wyn Jones that suggested that other teams were being rewarded for boring in at the scrum while Wales were driving straight, Barnes wasn't exactly full of sympathy for the Welsh team's plight.
Wales' comments had led to an angry response from France, who accused the hosts of 'being disrespectful' and it sets up a titanic showdown at the scrum tomorrow.
Barnes wrote: "Wyn Jones, the Wales prop, says the France front row are cheats. Shock, horror. Doubtless they have been called worse. Indeed, you have to ask the question; if a prop forward isn’t going to scrum at the odd illegal angle, what is their purpose?"
The former Bath and Newport fly-half referred to the 'dark arts' of the game, calling the word 'cheats' emotive and "an insult to people who prefer to watch rugby with their eyes wide shut".
"Jones is looking for an edge, just as he claims the France front row will seek it illegally. The referee tomorrow is Matthew Carley, an Englishman in his second Six Nations match," wrote Barnes in the Times.
"The last time I saw him referee a match involving a French team, he was monolingual in his on-field commands. A couple of early collapsed scrums, a few strains of Hymns and Arias, some grouchy and uncomprehending Gallic shrugs and the easiest option becomes a stream of penalties for Wales.
"Jones’ comments are part of a carefully orchestrated policy of pressurising the inexperienced Englishman.
"This is not cheating but it is cynical. Wales, though, are not alone.
"In an ideal world both packs would push straight but the search for the idealistic has always been a frustrating and foolhardy one. The arts of professional rugby remain as dark as they were pre-1995 but front-row skulduggery has been replaced with a dedication to beat the referee as well as the opposition.
"Tactics, cheating? The line is blurred."
