Tony Smith rejected yesterday allegations of employing “garbage” tactics during the 26-16 Gillette Four Nations defeat by Australia in Wigan. The England coach urged his opponents to make any complaints they might have through official channels.

Tim Sheens, the Australia coach, spoke out after injuries to Justin Hodges (broken nose), Paul Gallen (neck) and Anthony Watmough (head) during Saturday’s match. He claimed that both England and New Zealand had got away with illegal tactics, partly because of less stringent policing of the play-the-ball than his players are used to, by Steve Ganson, the English referee, who also took charge of Australia’s opening 20-20 draw with the Kiwis.

“There’s been a bit of garbage in the games and they’re not used to that,” said Sheens, who revealed that Watmough and Hodges had little recollection of Saturday’s match.

“There’s been plenty of marks in their faces and there’s been a little bit, from our boys’ point of view, of ‘is that how it’s going to be?’

“[They were] not necessarily off the ball. But there’s been a couple of incidents I’m unhappy with. There’s been plenty extra in the tackle on the ground and on contact. Not everything’s been illegal, but there’s been enough penalties. And we haven’t been completely innocent either.”

Australia were especially unhappy with a lifting tackle that left Gallen with a stiff neck, which was not penalised, and an apparent forearm to the head of Billy Slater, the full back, by Lee Smith, the England centre, although Tony Smith was unaware of any official complaints against his side.

“I don’t think we’ve been guilty of any more than we’ve had coming at us,” he said. “If there have been high tackles or dangerous tackles or throwing the head into the ground, it’s been going both ways. To an extent, it’s part and parcel of international rugby league, so long as it doesn’t get out of hand. I haven’t seen any evidence that it has done, apart from the instances involving two France players in our game against them, which were dealt with by the disciplinary procedures.”

England have no injury worries for Saturday’s encounter in Huddersfield with New Zealand, from which will emerge Australia’s final opponents at Elland Road the weekend after. Stephen Kearney, the New Zealand coach, is considering switching the St Helens-bound Iosia Soliola from the back row to cover for the injured Steve Matai at centre and has further options up front, with Bronson Harrison and Jeff Lima returning to fitness.

The Welsh engage Super League club have dropped “Celtic” from their name and will simply be known as Crusaders to coincide with their move next year from Bridgend to Newport, under a new coaching team of Brian Noble, Jon Sharp and Iestyn Harris.