Michael Cheika was unhappy that John Ulugia was penalised for this tackle © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

News: Cheika slams Rebels over Kurtley Beale's exit

Reaction: Waratahs eyeing 2014 Super Rugby title

Match Pack: Reds win ugly in Sydney

Matches: New South Wales Waratahs 12 - 14 Queensland Reds

Picture Gallery: Super Rugby Round 20

Super Rugby match officials are over-reacting to strong tackles, making the competition soft "touch football", Michael Cheika said after experienced referee Steve Walsh watched a replay before issuing New South Wales Waratahs hooker John Ulugia a yellow card on Saturday night for a jarring and seemingly legal chest-high tackle on Queensland Reds winger Rod Davies.

"I don't know if it was Aleem Dar proportions, but it was pretty crooked," Cheika said after the Waratahs' season-ending 14-12 loss to the Reds in Sydney, drawing comparisons with the Ashes cricket umpire missing Stuart Broad's blatant edge in the first Test against Australia at Trent Bridge.

"He had a second look as well. It was interesting listening to the third umpire, the TMO. He was saying: 'Do you want me to comment, Steve?' And he said: 'No, no, no. I'll have another look.' So he didn't want him to comment obviously. But I think everyone saw he put his arms around him. I don't know whether they should have had a kiss or not while they were in there. It's a shame because hardness is going out of the game. There's nothing illegal about it. It's a good, hard tackle, and that's what we try to get guys to do at training. Then in a game, as soon as someone puts in a good shot on, everyone panics. Like, give him the sin bin. I don't know, touch footy next year, maybe."

I would've loved to have seen Michael Cheika's reaction to the John Ulugia sin binning ! #shockingdecision #WarvRed

— Louise Ransome (@LouRansomeFOX) July 13, 2013

Steve Walsh are you serious? Just want camera time! John Ulugia what a BEAST! Next time tackle the Ref. #WhatAMuppet #GoRefTouchFooty

— Francis Fainifo (@FFainifo) July 13, 2013

Cheika also said that touch judges should no longer be allowed to intervene on offside plays, claiming they were too inconsistent.

"I was really disappointed for some of the penalties for offside. They were absolutely wrong. Then, when [the Reds] are clearly offside at the end right in front of the posts, they don't give it.

"When we practice the hard line speed [in defence], what's the point? There's no point practising a hard line speed if you get penalised because, when they turn around, you look like you're in front when you're actually not when you watch the video. Maybe we'll go back to playing drift defence like the 1980s. Before that, I'd prefer to get the microphones turned off on the sidelines. I think they [should] leave the ref decide."