Wallabies coach Michael Cheika says his players must support master on-baller David Pocock more when opponents attempt to put him off his game.

New Zealand were a class above their Australian counterparts in Saturday’s 40-12 Bledisloe Cup-clinching win at Eden Park, but the six-tries-to-two triumph also brought some claims of questionable tactics on the champion flanker at the breakdown.

Australian commentators questioned whether he was subjected to illegal neck rolls and Pocock could be seen clutching his neck during the match.

Speaking back in Sydney on Sunday, Cheika was aware of the issue but ruled out lodging a complaint with officials.

“He (Pocock) could hardly move his neck today,” Cheika said. “We have in previous games (raised the issue), in the Irish series definitely.

“He’s there (over the ball) nearly all the time, so he becomes a target and they do whatever they can to get rid of him.”

Cheika added that while “today’s probably not the day to be going out for that type of stuff”, he admitted Pocock’s teammates needed to “give him a bit of support when that happens”.

The coach said he never considered substituting a clearly-discomfited Pocock, even when the All Black’s sixth try in the 69th minute ended it as a contest – and said, if anything, his team needed to “go harder” in those situations.

“We don’t want to be looking to rest. He’s (Pocock) the leader for us going hard. We want to be going harder and trying to get in the dark a little bit more,” Cheika said.

“We’ve got a week off next week and I’m sure he’ll take it well.”