Aussie rugby teams must 'start cheating better' - former Wallaby

Nick Phipps reacts during the round 12 Super Rugby match between the Crusaders and the Waratahs. Photo / Getty

A former Wallabies player has a simple suggestion for Australian teams to finally end their Super Rugby drought against their New Zealand counterparts - 'start cheating better'.

Stephen Hoiles made the comments on Fox Sports following the Waratahs' giving up a 29-0 lead to lose to the Crusaders 31-29 on Saturday evening. The defeat meant Australian teams have gone 39 games without a victory over a New Zealand side.

"The reality is, we've got to start cheating better," Hoiles said.

"That's what we as Aussies need to do. We need to start running players off the ball.

"We have to be a little bit craftier off the ball. That's what Australian rugby needs to do. We can't let the referee make all these decisions."

The Crusaders looked to get away with a couple of decisions by referee Ben O'Keeffe during their comeback including the off the ball high shot by Joe Moody on Kurtley Beale which came just before the prop scored a first half try.

Moody was last night suspended for two games for the high shot.

Fox Sports analyst Rod Kafer said it was a red card offence.

"That's an elbow to the throat of a player unprotected. It's a red-card offence. The try should not be scored. The guy should not be on the field," Kafer said.

Wallabies great and fellow Fox Sports analyst George Gregan said the Crusaders were always pushing the limit on infringements.

"They push the envelope right to the last minute," Gregan said.

"There's probably a couple you could say: 'Hang on, maybe he could blow the whistle' but you won't because you've been pushing it the whole time and that's what good teams do and the referee lets that go."