Cam all set for go-slow mode in Cup finals

AUSTRALIAN skipper Cameron Smith has threatened to introduce the wrestle and slow down the play-the-ball during the World Cup finals because of frustrations with referees.

Smith reiterated comments made by Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga in the wake of Saturday’s group win over Lebanon that the opposition were allowed to lie all over the ruck and slow the game.

“International footy is officiated quite differently to what we’re used to week- to-week in the NRL, we play a faster style of game,” Smith said.

“(Saturday) night was one of the slowest games I’ve played in my entire career.

“Twenty one penalties – I think that’s the most penalties there’s been in a match I’ve played in.

“It was frustrating, we couldn’t get any fluency at all.”

Smith said opposition sides were wise to the fact they could push the limits in the ruck and had successfully slowed down Australia during their opening three matches.

“I spoke to a couple of the boys from the Lebanon side last night and they commented on the way the referee was adjudicating things and they caught on pretty quickly,” Smith said.

“They were pretty much falling asleep on our attacker. Tackles were completed and people were diving in late. You do that in the NRL and you get penalised every time.”

Smith and his Melbourne Storm are credited with being the masters of the wrestle and popularising it in the NRL and said the Kangaroos would attempt to slow the tempo in their remaining matches.

He said the tournament favourites would have no other option than to return fire and they would try to slow down the ruck during the knockout stages, starting with Friday’s quarter-final against Samoa in Darwin.

“We’ve discussed the style of football we’d like to play,” Smith said.