Jones urges McHugh to get tough with England

AUSTRALIA coach Eddie Jones has called for Irish referee Dave McHugh to strictly police the breakdown and clamp down on any infringements in order to promote the fast, running rugby style he wants to play against England on Saturday.

Jones is anxious that scrum-half George Gregan be allowed access to quick, clean ball, but is acutely aware of England's tactics of slowing down possession retention in tackle and ruck situations.

Neil Back and Lawrence Dallaglio were both sin-binned for offences in that area during England's victory over New Zealand last weekend, a match littered with penalties.

Beaten All Black captain Reuben Thorne claimed that England, hailed for their sensational defensive performance, only won because of their ability to kill the ball.

And Jones clearly concurs. "It is really important we have one of the most influential referees in the world refereeing the game and hopefully he will be very strict in enforcing the tackle and ruck laws to the letter.

"If he does I think we will get some good clean ball for both sides and we will be able to use it.

"If he doesn't it will be an ugly affair, so we are hoping he will referee to the letter. I am encouraging the referee to be strict in that area."

England captain Martin Johnson admitted his side must tread the fine line between slowing down Australian ball and falling foul of the referee if England.

"We got in trouble with the referee on Saturday and it nearly cost us the Test match," he said. "We have got to stay on the right side of the referee. He decides what is right and wrong on the day and we must adapt to it.

"It's such a big part of the game, if you can slow down a team's ball at the breakdown it makes defending a lot easier but you have got to do it legally.

"We have got to stay on the right side of the ref. A guy like Ritchie

McCaw (New Zealand open-side flanker) is very good at putting pressure on the breakdown and doing it legally, so is George Smith, who is not playing, and so is Phil Waugh.

"You have got to get these guys off the ball. They make the tackle, get on the feet quickly and get their hands and body on the ball and protect it well, and that's half the battle."

Meanwhile New Zealand coach John Mitchell believes this year's World Cup could be ruined as a spectacle if teams like England are allowed to deliberately slow the game down.

"It was effective on the evening but I'm sure if that kind of situation occurs in the World Cup, it will be a pretty boring World Cup," said Mitchell.

*French champions Stade Francais have signed Northampton Saints Ian Vass and Bristol's Argentine international Agustin Pichot to take over from 34-year-old scrum-half Fabien Galthie next season.

Stade have also persuaded Italy fly-half Diego Dominguez (37) to continue for another year.

AUSTRALIA: C Latham; W Sailor, M Turinui, S Kefu, J Roff; N Grey, G Gregan (captain); B Young, J Paul, P Noriega, D Giffin, N Sharpe, D Lyons, P Waugh, T Kefu.

Replacements: B Cannon, B Darwin, D Vickerman, D Heenan, C Whitaker, M Rogers, L Tuqiri.

ENGLAND: J Lewsey; J Robinson, W Greenwood, M Tindall, B Cohen; J Wilkinson, K Bracken; T Woodman, S Thompson, P Vickery, M Johnson (captain), B Kay, R Hill, N Back, L Dallaglio.

Replacements: M Regan, J Leonard, S Borthwick, J Worsley, M Dawson, A King, D Luger.

Referee: D McHugh (Irl)