Angry Tongans plot upset victory

By CHRIS RATTUE at the World Cup

Tongan coach Jim Love has accused World Cup match officials of bias against the island nations on the eve of his side's clash against the All Blacks.

New Zealander Love was supporting claims by outspoken Namibian coach Dave Waterston that the smaller nations were getting a raw deal on the field because referees have been influenced by rugby's pecking order.

Tonga arrived in sunsoaked Brisbane yesterday from their base in Canberra, where they have lost pool D games to Italy and Wales.

They have been beaten by the All Blacks in their only two meetings, 45-9 at Bristol during the 1999 World Cup and 102-0 at Albany a year later.

But Love believes Tonga can cause "the biggest upset in rugby history" tomorrow night, when Argentine Pablo Deluca will be the whistler.

He said island players were stereotyped as wild and overly aggressive, and match officials were influenced by that, reducing the chance of boilover results.

There was simply no argument against claims that the rugby minnows have been treated harshly by the IRB.

Tonga, for instance, have four pool matches in 14 days.

Waterston, also a New Zealander, and a former Tongan coach himself, is in hot water with the IRB for his attack on Australian referee Andrew Cole.

After losing to Ireland, Waterston claimed referees "licked the backside" of top nations and was flabbergasted as to why Irish lock Paul O'Connell was not cited for stomping.

Love had not seen Waterston's comments when spoken to by the Herald, but quickly supported the tone of his remarks.

When reminded of a comment he made before the tournament, and asked if he meant the island players were treated as "dumb," Love suggested he meant something "along those lines."

Love said: "The [referees] believe all the bullshit that Islanders are head-high tacklers and that stuff. They go out and referee the game like that.

"We sit near the ref and linesmen and they're always yelling out to our side to get back. I'd say to them, 'look around - there is another side playing out there'.

"They believe in a stereotype ... it borders on being a word that I cannot use.

"Yet I reckon we've got more degrees than the Australian and New Zealand sides combined. We've got accountants, surgeons, lawyers, the lot."

He said Paul Honiss was generally even-handed in controlling Tonga's game against Wales, but was angry at Steve Walsh's rulings in their critical opening loss to Italy.

Love said neither Ipolito Fenukitau (illegal tackle) nor Viliami Vaki (goal-line offside) deserved to be yellow-carded.

He is also unhappy at some penalty rulings.

"There are a lot of tackles in the Super 12 which are just the same [as Fenukitau's]," Love said.

His claim about Fenukitau's tackle could be disputed, and Walsh also sin-binned an Italian player for a swinging arm that missed.

What is important, though, is the feeling among the lower-rated sides that, in general, they do not get a fair deal from rugby authorities.

While the All Blacks have had a week's rest after their win over Canada, virtually the same Tongan side who lost narrowly to Wales will front up to the All Blacks on five days' rest.

The only change is the return of captain Inoke Afeaki, with his brother Stanley dropping to the reserves in place of Nisi Naufahu.

Inoke Afeaki, however, is rated at 50/50 because of a knee injury.

"This is the strongest side I can field and we're going out there with the attitude we can win. Otherwise what is the point of being here," Love said.

"The general plan by the teams we call the minnows is to try to keep the score down, but that is a mistake.

"When you have that attitude, you don't throw your body into the game and players start accepting things on the field, without trying to change them.

"I've always liked the maul and that is a big part of our game ... we've also got some big boys who love running with the ball.

"We've got to make them [All Blacks] tackle - we've got to mix it with them.

"If you match our talent against their talent, there's not much difference, except for experience. And we've got a few things up our sleeve."

But while Love believes scratchy combinations might be the All Blacks' only weakness, he has no doubts about Leon MacDonald's ability at centre.

Love coached MacDonald at Marlborough, and said he was a "brilliant inside back" in his junior days.