Wales considered faking an injury to a player to force a move to uncontested scrums during their World Cup semifinal defeat to France last weekend, coach Warren Gatland said yesterday.
The Welsh lost starting prop Adam Jones to a calf injury and flanker Sam Warburton to a red card in the first quarter of the Eden Park match, which they lost 9-8 after playing for more than an hour with 14 men.
With replacement prop Paul James already on the pitch, an injury to him or other prop Gethin Jenkins would have automatically triggered a situation where neither team was allowed to push at the scrum.
That would have a been a considerable advantage to Wales, whose seven-man pack was coming under huge pressure at the scrum and conceded one of three penalties France's Morgan Parra converted when its front row collapsed.
"We'd already lost Adam Jones, and we discussed in the box, 'Did we fake an injury to one of our props to go to uncontested scrums?'," Gatland said.
"But morally, I made the decision that was not the right thing to do."
Meanwhile, Wales has named its strongest available team for Friday's third-place playoff against Australia.
Gatland made three changes to the side which lost 9-8 to France in the semifinals, one forced by Warburton's three-week ban.
Gatland said having gained so much respect for the style of rugby they have played at the tournament, it was an important to end on a high note.
Wales team
To play Australia
Leigh Halfpenny, George North, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams, James Hook, Mike Phillips, Ryan Jones, Toby Faletau, Danny Lydiate, Bradley Davies, Luke Charteris, Paul James, Huw Bennett, Gethin Jenkins (captain). Reserves: Lloyd Burns, Ryan Bevington, Alun Wyn Jones, Andy Powell, Lloyd Williams, Stephen Jones, Scott Williams.
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