Frustrating.

Ireland boss Joe Schmidt has called out referee Angus Gardner ahead of their World Cup pool clash with Japan tomorrow morning.

The Australian official will take charge of Ireland’s clash with the tournament hosts tomorrow and Schmidt has piled the pressure on him as he feels his side weren’t given a fair rub of the green the last time he refereed them.

Schmidt reckons Ireland were unduly punished during March’s 25-7 Six Nations loss to Wales in Cardiff that sealed the hosts’ Grand Slam.

“Obviously last time we had Angus (Gardner) it wasn’t great for us,” said Schmidt.

“We didn’t play particularly well but we didn’t feel we got a lot of the rub of the green either.

“I think if you look back at the scrum, we actually went straight through the middle of the Welsh scrum to get a turnover ball very early in the game.

“And then when they ran around the corner we got no receipt (of penalties) from that and they were given penalty rewards, which was incredibly frustrating.”

But Schmidt is confident the officiating will be good this weekend after World Rugby released a statement earlier in the week criticising it to date.

“Obviously they’ve been given a stir up from World Rugby and I know when these players that I work with get a stir up, they come out and they’re very focused the next outing. So we’d have confidence that the officials are going to be good this weekend across the board.” Schmidt added