Gregan calls for citing change

Defeat by the Boks cost Australia their Tri-Nations crown

Australia captain George Gregan has called for an overhaul of rugby's foul-play citing system - and blamed South Africa for most of the problems.

The Wallabies lost their Tri-Nations crown to New Zealand when they were upset 33-31 by the Boks in a spiteful clash in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Springboks deny Wallabies

And Gregan declared on Monday: "I think that whole (citing) process needs to be looked at.

"I think throughout the whole Tri-Nations series there have been a lot of incidents off the ball and they tend to always occur when we play South Africa, and New Zealand had similar incidents.

We've had incidents where there's been some foul play not adjudicated on

Wallaby coach Eddie Jones

"I can't comment too much on that process, but it's disappointing that nothing gets taken further on pretty poor incidents which happen on the field."

Springbok captain Corne Krige was cleared by a disciplinary tribunal on Sunday of punching during the match.

Krige in the clear

An independent citing commissioner laid the charge after an incident in which Wallaby flanker George Smith had to leave the field with a bloodied nose.

South Africa centre Marius Joubert also appeared before the tribunal over his sending off for a high tackle on Mat Rogers.

However, the tribunal decided that no further punishment was necessary.

Allegations

Wallaby coach Eddie Jones also added his voice to Gregan's criticism of the citing system.

He said: "I think we've had incidents throughout the Tri-Nations where possibly there's been some foul play not adjudicated on."

South Africa declined to respond to Gregan's allegations that the Springboks were to blame for problems of foul play.

"We don't have any comment on overhauling the citing system or on what George Gregan said," spokesman Mark Keohane said.

"Perhaps he is just disappointed at losing the Test."