The tensions between England and Australia before Saturday’s Gillette Four Nations final are simmering, but the tournament organising committee has its hands full investigating “a series of incidents” involving Bobbie Goulding, the France coach and former Great Britain scrum half, after Monday’s international player of the year awards.
A reportedly drunken Goulding, a surprise choice as France coach at the start of the season, had various altercations at a Leeds casino, where the ceremony was held, with Richard Lewis, the RFL executive chairman, Graeme Thompson, the England team manager, Steve Ganson, the British referee, and Steve Mascord, an Australian journalist, before he was led from the building.
One of Goulding’s complaints was about the lack of a French emblem on the competition trophy, which is the old Tri-Nations trophy. The tournament committee can do little more than issue a warning about Goulding’s conduct, but as well as a probable fine, the French federation may look at his suitability for the job. “A series of incidents involving Mr Goulding after the awards dinner are being looked into,” the RFL said.
Goulding has denied any knowledge of the incident. “Nothing happened - nothing at all,” he said.
The Australian Rugby League fined Ricky Stuart, the Kangaroos coach, last year for verbally abusing Ashley Klein, the World Cup final referee, in the foyer of the team’s Brisbane hotel the day after New Zealand’s 34-20 victory. Stuart subsequently resigned.
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The dispute over who will referee the final rumbled on overnight, with administrators from Britain, Australia and New Zealand mandated to make a choice between Ganson, Shayne Hayne, of Australia, or Leon Williamson, of New Zealand, after referees officials from the countries could not agree.
Interviewed at the awards ceremony, Johnathan Thurston, the Australia scrum half, displayed a curious lack of knowledge about Kyle Eastmond, his 20-year-old counterpart for England at Elland Road on Saturday. “Who?” Thurston asked, before adding of the St Helens player: “He obviously had a good game against the Kiwis last week and we’ll have to keep an eye on him.”
A phlegmatic Eastmond responded: “I know who Johnathan Thurston is and the rest of Australia’s players.”
Australia are unhappy with the assertion by Jamie Peacock, the England captain, that the New Zealand forwards were more physical in England’s 20-12 win on Saturday than Australia’s pack had been in their earlier 26-16 victory in Wigan. Anthony Watmough, the second row, said: “Physical? I saw him [Peacock] put on his backside a few times. The boys will step up. What do you do? Take a backward step? Your credibility as a forward’s gone. If they bring it, we’re going to take it straight back to them.
“They’re probably trying to get a raise out of us. If we play to the ability of our team, we will win.”