Ireland v Wales
Gatland queries penalty decisions
ESPN Staff
February 5, 2014
Warren Gatland keeps a close eye on the scrum before the match, Wales v Italy, Six Nations, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, February 1, 2014
Warren Gatland keeps a close eye on the scrum before the Italy match ...what he saw during the game left him less than impressed © Getty Images
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Warren Gatland says he has asked referees' chief Joel Jutge for "clarification" about scrum penalties awarded against them during last Saturday's win over Italy. Gatland said he was unhappy with decision made by the referee, John Lacey from Ireland.

"We were disappointed with a couple of early penalties against us and we have had a look at it. We have sent it [a report] off to Jutge just to get some clarification because it stopped a bit of momentum for us in the first half.

"[Prop] Paul James was penalised a couple of times and I have gone through and looked at the tape [and] thought he was pretty unlucky. We had a couple of line-out penalties against us for guys coming in at the side and we felt they were legitimate as well. So we just want a bit of clarification."

Gatland did concede that the Wales pack did not dominate as he expected. "We had a couple of scrums where we haven't been brilliant, but again we have worked on that and hopefully it will be good for this weekend."

Looking ahead to the weekend, he acknowledged that Wales faced a tough time in Dublin. "If you are looking at any blueprints to play Ireland, I am looking at a club game. The Northampton games against Leinster in the Heineken Cup where Northampton were embarrassed at home by Leinster. They turned it around the next week, being direct and physical, by winning in Dublin.

"It's a reasonable blueprint for us to follow in terms of the way we need to play against Ireland."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

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