 | TRI-NATIONS |
Australia have complained about the size of the pitch following their 16-16 draw with New Zealand in the Tri-Nations Series opener in Auckland. The Kangaroos are upset with the home side's decision to narrow the width of the pitch by seven metres.
Australian Rugby League chief executive Geoff Carr is also angry that the in-goal areas were cut to six metres.
Carr says he will lodge a complaint with the Rugby Football League when he arrives in England this weekend.
The smaller in-goal areas were thought to be a ploy to blunt the effectiveness of the Australian kicking game.
But Kangaroos skipper Darren Lockyer continually pinned the Kiwis back inside their own half with his clever punts.
Meanwhile, several Australian players admitted they were unaware that the competition was not being played under the controversial golden-point rule which determines the outcome of drawn games in the NRL and State of Origin.
But Kangaroos coach Wayne Bennett, a staunch opponent of the golden point, told the Sydney Morning Herald: "This is international football and we don't need golden point. I think both teams deserved a point out if it."
New Zealand coach Daniel Anderson was also happy with a point, saying: "I'm pretty happy with that sort of a game being settled like that.
"Leave the traditional game with traditional rules."
MMIX
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