Hooker Tolu Latu admits the Wallabies’ pack of jackals - led by the world’s best pilferer David Pocock - are finding it “really hard” to steal anyone’s ball at the World Cup, and are increasingly abandoning the tactic.
The Wallabies were keen to move on from all the referee talk on Tuesday but Latu still opened up on the struggles the Aussie side is having getting any pay with a strong on-ball presence they like to apply in games.
And the issue is certainly a pressing one for the Wallabies, who may have to urgently re-consider their decision to deploy the dual openside "Pooper" combination if it's not achieving the desired larceny in Japan.
"Yeah, it’s really hard,” Latu said when asked about his lack of success pilfering in the World Cup so far.
"Even Poey (David Pocock) is struggling to get on the ball as well and he is one of the best at it.
"The game is so quick that you don’t really have much time to get into the ruck and get on the ball and it seems like refs are not really giving much penalties away at ruck time to the person pilfering. You’ve just got to leave it.”
Australia has won just three turnovers at the breakdown in two games. Pocock - who had 15 steals in the 2015 tournament - has two in two games, but has also been penalised several times as well.
There is a school of thought among some commentators that referees are now far more lax in policing the “gate” at the breakdown, and are allowing players to clean out from the side - which is far more effective to getting jackals off their feet and out of play.
Latu said he wasn’t sure if that was occurring, but said the lack of breakdown pay could be enough to convince the Wallabies to not contest it and simply keep extra numbers in the defence line.
“Refs are not giving pay to people getting on the ball. You have to survive probably two cleanouts. And it’s a fair bit of time to be in there,” Latu said.
"It’s probably better to be in D line and getting your line sorted so that you can get up and make tackles."
Asked if the refereeing stance on breakdown could hurt the Wallabies given they have Pocock and Hooper, and like to poach, Latu sidestepped deftly.
"Like Scotty (Sio) said, the refs make calls and we just go by that,” Latu said.
"Poey is really good at getting on the ball, I am sure he will come back this weekend and prove me wrong and probably get six turnovers.”
