Cheika confused by refereeing decisions

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has questioned some of referee Nigel Owens' decisions in the wake his side's 35-29 defeat to the All Blacks in Dunedin on Saturday.

Cheika has singled out the tip tackle from Brodie Retallick that left Ned Hanigan on his head and the decision to reverse a decision for a knock-on by Aaron Smith at the back of the scrum and penalise Stephen Moore for unbound scrummaging instead.

"I've got to tread lightly here my friend," Cheika said when asked why he was confused by several of the officials' decisions.

"Number one, what I can say because it's clear to everyone is that Retallick picked up one of our blokes up and put him on his head. He's put his arm through his legs, picked him up, and it's a free pass.

"It's clear. The guy can't end up on his head any other way. It's a free pass; it's just as well he didn't break his neck."

Cheika added of the decisions of the match officials: "I was surprised by some of them. There was a scrum where the ball came back out, they knocked it on, and there were no comms on a penalty for the loosehead going in. Yet a couple of seconds later they decided it was a penalty. I've never seen that before.

"Any of that stuff does not excuse in any way us not finishing that game off.

"I know people are throwing eggs and bombs our way and that's the way she rolls. It's all good but the gallant loser thing is not on. We should have won that game."