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Confused Wallaby Samu Kerevi was stunned to be penalised for a bump off of a high-tackling Welsh defender during their Rugby World Cup loss in Tokyo.
Samu Kerevi has joked he'll consider a switch to the NRL after being penalised in the most controversial decision of Australia's 29-25 loss to Wales on Sunday.
Kerevi was pinged for a bump-off of Wales five-eighth Rhys Patchell that left the Wallabies seething because it swung the course of the match late in the first half, with Wales rattling off 10 unanswered points.
The incident involved Patchell approaching Kerevi front-on and upright before falling backwards to absorb the force of the bigger opponent.
Yet it was Kerevi who was penalised after a long consultation between French referee Romain Poite and TMO Ben Skeen of New Zealand. They deemed the inside centre had dangerously raised his forearm into Patchell's chest/neck area.
Flabbergasted Australian coach Cheika reckoned Patchell's technique mirrored that of Wallabies winger Reece Hodge, who was banned for three weeks for what was deemed a head high tackle on Fijian forward Peceli Yato last week.
Kerevi said slow motion replays had worked against him, believing he had done nothing wrong.
"I've been playing with that for my whole career. It's the first time I've heard that I can't lead with my arms and bump," he said.
"The worrying thing is if he's falling and I keep moving forward, which I would normally do, I could touch his head."
"What do we do in that split second? ... I might as well just stop."
Kerevi said he may have to consider using footwork rather than go straight over the top of defenders, which has become a trademark.
The 26-year-old has signed a three-year contract to play in Japan from next year but laughed he may consider a code switch if rugby's rules become more stifling.
"I love my rugby league, so I'll have a look at NRL then.
"If you want to play touch or go play basketball (then do it) but we're here to run straight at people."