Wallabies flanker Rocky Elsom has laughed off accusations from New Zealanders that the Australians cheat in scrums.
All Blacks prop John Drake claimed the Wallabies' pre-engagement against South Africa was illegal.
"I can't believe they got away with what they did at scrum time with their technique of entering," Drake told ABC Radio.
"The biggest thing I probably got out of the Test is the way that they probably cheated at scrum time.
"They pack very high, similar to what the Crusaders and the All Blacks did about three years ago.
"When they say 'crouch', they're still high so the other team has to try and come up to them. It kind of puts them off, and then the Australians just dive straight down. I was pretty annoyed with that."
Wallabies flanker Rocky Elsom said such accusations were nonsense.
"That's probably the last thing we want to do because when the scrum gets collapsed, we get penalised first. That doesn't help us."
Indeed, the Wallabies scrum has been universally maligned in recent years, with referees tending to blame Australia's perceived shortfalls for the set piece collapsing rather than suspect weakness from opposing packs.
New Zealand assistant coach Steve Hansen less directly claimed Australian halfback Luke Burgess spun the ball into the scrum to deliver quick, easy possession against the Springboks.
He suggested Burgess rolls the ball in so it shoots quickly through Australia's front and second rows directly to the feet of No.8 Wycliff Palu.
"They're clever with the way they do things, you've only got to look at the way the halfback puts the ball in," Hansen told journalists in Wellington.
"They've adapted their scrum to suit the way they play. They don't keep the ball in the scrum for a very long time."
