A meeting in London at the start of this week will thrash out what rule interpretations are enforced in the Ashes after British referee Liam Rush and Hull KR coach Willie Peters gave the Kangaroos a harsh lesson in British ways at training on Saturday.
Peters, now on Kevin Walters’ coaching staff, instructed players during tackling drills on how long a Super League referee would allow them to hold down – and be held down – before Rush took control of a scrimmage session against the French national side which the Aussies won 4-0 via a Keaon Koloamatangi try.
Now Australian-born Super League referee James Vella will travel to the Kangaroos’ Kensington base to discuss how the series will be controlled.
The conversations could have a major impact on whether the Kangaroos are ambushed at Wembley as they were in 1973, 1990, 1994 and at the 1995 World Cup.
No refereeing appointments have been announced but it is anticipated a Brit will get the first Test next Saturday, an Aussie the second at Liverpool the following week and the official deemed to be the best performed, the third in Leeds. Liam Moore (Britain) and Grant Atkins (Australia) are among the candidates to be mentioned in dispatches so far.
Cameron Munster makes the ball talk during the Roos’ hit-out against France in the build-up to Wembley.
©Grant Trouville
“Hopefully it’s clean the whole series – however it’s going to be refereed, it’s gotta be the same,” Peters said. “There’s a few different rules but the big one’s the ruck. It is a slower ruck over here, they’ll (NRL players) be used to getting off quick.
“If a team finds their front, you should be rewarded for that. But if they’re put on their back and you’ve got control, you can have a slower ruck.”
It’s anticipated Vella or another British referee will return to training a day or two after the hotel meeting to explain and even demonstrate the prevailing interpretations at Roos training.
Asked for his understanding of the match official appointment process, coach Walters said: “I know it’s an Australian referee and an English referee for the first two games. I don’t know who’s got what game. The third game will be decided by a board somewhere, who gets that game.
“Our job is to coach our boys to play footy and we’ll let the administration take care of that.”
French players took selfies with the NRL stars after a bruising opposed session at St Mary’s University in Twickenham, with a hit by Australia’s Reece Walsh on France’s Arthur Mourgue raising a few gasps from the sideline.
The World Cup holders showed their appreciation to Les Chanticleers by chanting “Oui, oiu” as they shook hands when the scrimmage concluded.
Nathan Cleary gets a kick away under pressure during the Kangaroos’ scrimmage session against France in London.
As the session began, the Rugby Football League issued media release saying ticket sales for the opening international at Wembley had surpassed the 54,596 who saw Great Britain upset the 1990 Kangaroos.
And England captain George Williams raised some eyebrows by telling The Guardian: “The Aussies see State of Origin as bigger than playing for Australia, which I find very strange.
“Some NRL lads were not that bothered about playing for Australia. I found that a weird one. I couldn’t get my head around it.”
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Great Britain v Australia – 1994 Second Test
England players were to return to camp on Sunday night, train Monday morning at Sale and then travel to London ahead of the series media launch at Wembley on Tuesday afternoon.
Before that, the Kangaroos are due to visit Australia House on Tuesday morning.
Australian players attended an NFL game at Wembley on Saturday, with Penrith’s Lindsay Smith having joined them in camp on Friday night after he was married back in Sydney.