The RFL are to complain about the use of trainers during Saturday's first Test between Great Britain and New Zealand.
RFL chief says "coterie of hangers-on" spoiled Saturday's first Test
The war of words developing between Great Britain and New Zealand looks set to intensify after the Rugby Football League announced that it will complain about the use of water carriers and trainers during Saturday's first Gillette Series Test.
Following the match, in which Great Britain triumphed 20-14, the RFL has said that it will contact counterparts the NZRL to discuss the frequency of non-playing personnel entering the field of play at Huddersfield.
Although the RFL has clamped down on the use of water carriers during Super League matches, international rules remain rather less strict.
Spirit of the law
Nevertheless, the RFL's newly-appointed chief executive Nigel Wood has claimed that New Zealand broke the spirit of the laws at the Galpharm Stadium.
He said: "The sight of one, two and sometimes three non-playing personnel scurrying around the pitch, actively and continuously coaching players and directing play is a blight on the game and one which infuriates many supporters.
"It spoils the spectacle and, in many cases, is not appreciated by the players themselves.
"Of course physios need unfettered access and substitutions need to be enacted quickly and smoothly but what we witnessed on Saturday was blatant on-field coaching.
"People are paying good money to watch world-class athletes and don't want a coterie of hangers-on spoiling the game by running on to the pitch every two minutes to bark instructions from the bench.
"That's why on Monday we're going to make a formal request to the NZRL to abide by the rules we have adopted in England."
Player welfare
Wood's complaint comes after New Zealand accused the RFL of neglecting player welfare with regard to an alleged high tackle committed by Great Britain forward Adrian Morley in last weekend's centenary international.
Although New Zealand chairman Andrew Chalmers labelled Morley a "maniac" following the alleged incident, the RFL failed to discipline him.
