Hansen, Mallett slam ‘Please call me’ scenes

Former international coaches Steve Hansen and Nick Mallett have criticized a communication system failure during Sunday's Test match between the Wallabies and the Springboks in Perth. The technical breakdown forced referee Andrea Piardi to use a cellphone on the field to communicate with the television match official while reviewing several incidents during the contest.

Hansen and Mallett both defended the referee while condemning the technology issues and current disciplinary protocols. Hansen expressed additional frustration over Australia finishing the game with only 11 players following four yellow cards, arguing that the protocols compromised a fair contest. Mallett highlighted that similar communication problems had recently occurred during a match between the Springboks and the All Blacks.