Wales want the advantage law clarified after their defeat to Australia when they felt the Wallabies were given more time to make use of possession before the referee, Craig Joubert, blew for the penalty he had earlier signalled.
Wales lost by five points, their 10th consecutive defeat to Australia, and while they did not blame the South African for the latest single-figure reverse, they want to see the advantage law more consistently applied with New Zealand and South Africa visiting Cardiff later this month.
Joubert signalled Wales had a penalty on the halfway line in the final quarter of the 33-28 defeat, but after they had tried to gain an advantage, the referee waved play on rather than go back to the spot where the offence had been committed.
“Kicking that penalty to touch would have given us a different mindset,” said the Wales attack coach, Rob Howley. “There was the element of composure in the way we did not see out the final 12 minutes having taken the lead, but there was also the issue of consistency with the advantage law.
“Making the right decisions when fatigue kicks in is important but consistency in the advantage law is something that needs to be right. There was a time when Australia had 11 phases and 50-odd seconds before they were given the penalty that had been signalled, but when we were given an advantage after a line-back, it was over after five phases and 40 seconds. There was a disparity and while I thought Craig Joubert refereed the game extremely well, we need to understand the advantage rule.”
Asked if one of the Wales players should have knocked on to get the penalty, Howley replied: “I remember the English referee Tony Spreadbury telling me during a game I played in that if I wanted the penalty to let him know, not throw the ball forward. In the heat of battle, there is not always a simple answer and you expect the referee to apply the law as accurately as he can.
“The best have a feel for the game and Nigel Owens should be applauded for the way he controlled England’s match against New Zealand on Saturday. Consistency is all we want.”
Wales will meet World Cup group opponents for the second successive Saturday when Fiji pitch up at the Millennium Stadium four years after they achieved a draw at the ground and nine after they lost there to a late drop goal. Wales will make changes from the side who started against Australia.
The full-back, Leigh Halfpenny, and the fly-half, Dan Biggar, are doubts anyway after suffering head and groin injuries respectively, although they are both expected to be fit to face the All Blacks the following week.
A second team will not be put out against Fiji, given the struggles Wales have had against teams from the Pacific islands in recent years after resting leading players.
“There will be changes, but we will select a strong side,” said Howley,who has the centre Scott Williams available again after a hamstring strain.
“We have improved our strength in depth in the last couple of years and what we can not do is bring in certain players without weakening the team. Our attitude has to be right against Fiji who were in the match against France on Saturday after 55 minutes. It will be a big game for them.”
The Lions’ scrum-half, Mike Phillips, is expected to start after Rhys Webb was preferred to him against Australia. Phillips said: “Rhys deserved his chance and played well, but I am a competitor and I will keep pushing myself, which is why I am here. We all want to be at the World Cup next year, which means doing well for Wales every time we have the opportunity.”
