BRISBANE // The Australia coach Ricky Stuart will be investigated following a complaint that he verbally abused World Cup referee Ashley Klein and an English official following the surprising World Cup final loss to New Zealand at the weekend. The Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) chairman Colin Love said England's director of referees Stuart Cummings claimed that he and Klein were subjected to a verbal attack by Stuart in the team's hotel on Sunday, the morning after the Kangaroos' 34-20 upset loss.
Love said the RLIF were investigating, but with Klein and Cummings travelling home and Australian officials on holiday, it could be many weeks before any conclusions were reached. The domestic media reported that Stuart had also made aggressive comments to the Australian Rugby League official Geoff Carr immediately after the loss and that the former Kangaroos and Canberra Raiders halfback had alleged some kind of conspiracy by the tournament organizers for Australia's loss.
Carr, however, said Stuart would be offered the Australian coaching job again if he wanted it while Stuart declined to comment. * Associated Press
