Rugby: Hape cries foul over 'shoulder charge'

England's Shontayne Hape, claims this try-saving tackle from All Black Isaia Toeava was a shoulder charge. Photo / AP

London - As a former Kiwis league international Shontayne Hape knows a shoulder charge when he feels one - so the adopted Englishman was aggrieved Isaia Toeava's desperate cover defence did not result in a penalty try at Twickenham today.

Hape very nearly joined Rotorua-born hooker Dylan Hartley in scoring a try against his homeland and had he not lost the ball when crunched by the All Blacks replacement wing in the 75th minute, New Zealand may have been at risk of losing rugby internationals on consecutive weekends.

If Hape been able to maintain control of the ball as he dived in the left hand corner - or French referee Romain Poite judged Toeava's hit as worthy of a penalty try - an invigorated England would have closed within a score of equalling, or eclipsing, the undermanned All Blacks.

A penalty try and formality of Toby Flood's conversion from in front would have left the All Blacks to protect a three-point without the services of defensive workhorse Jerome Kaino - the blindside flanker was sin binned nine minutes from fulltime for one ruck and maul indiscretion too many.

However, New Zealand clung on to open their Grand Slam campaign with a tense 26-16 victory, a ninth in a row at England's expense and one that irked Hape.

The second five-eighth insisted Toeava's tackling style - though condoned in league - deserved sanction in the 15-man game.

"It wasn't a tackle," he said.

"It was a shoulder charge and I thought maybe we would get a penalty try or something.

"When I saw the footage there is a hell of an impact. It happened so fast and 'boom', you get smashed out."

Hape's teammates asked if he correctly applied downward pressure, the former Auckland Warrior was unsure so it was left to Italian television match official Giulio de Santis to determine the 28-year-old's first test against his birthplace would not end happily.

"Sometimes you get the benefit of the doubt but it wasn't to be. Their try was also a 50-50 decision," Hape said, alluding to Hosea Gear's borderline touchdown in the same corner 16 minutes into the first half.

Hape felt had a penalty try been awarded, England were capable of mirroring the Wallabies stirring finale in Hong Kong last weekend where they fought back to win 26-24 with a converted try by James O'Connor after the siren.

"In the last five minutes, we were having a good crack at them and they were a man down," Hape said.

"It would have been interesting. As the second half progressed we got a lot more confident."

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw agreed a Hape try would have made life even more complicated in the dying stages, though the New Zealand camp argued they were also done no favours by the match officials.

Hartley's 53rd minute try was debatable on two counts - wing Chris Ashton was in an offside position after his fullback Ben Foden hacked the ball towards the All Blacks line; Hartley also appeared to have been guilty of a double movement before he stretched over the chalk.

"I thought it was a double movement but you take what happens with the ref's call," said No 8 Kieran Read.

Meanwhile, despite the sense of injustice Hape also had fond memories of just his third cap.

"I've heard the (New Zealand) anthem and seen the haka for years growing up so it was a strange feeling to face it," he said.

"It was a weird feeling but once God Save The Queen came on and all the fans got behind me it felt really good.

"The kick-off came straight to me and I was able to put all the emotions out of it with that first run."

- NZPA