All Blacks get feedback on RWC final officiating complaint
The All Blacks have received an admission from World Rugby that at least one big officiating error was made during the World Cup final.
Wayne Barnes, who was the most experienced referee in World Rugby, was in charge of last month’s emotionally charged World Cup final between the Springboks and All Blacks – having since announced his retirement from the game.
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One of the major question marks during the final was the decision to red card All Blacks captain Sam Cane, although this was made via the bunker review system rather than the on-field officials.
Upon review, though, the All Blacks flagged other concerns in an official complaint sent to World Rugby. “We’ve already sent a file into World Rugby to get them to make a few comments on,” outgoing coach Ian Foster said. “Hopefully they do.”
Asked to give specific examples of what they were unhappy with, he responded: “Oh, I think you can guess.”
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THE ALL BLACKS LOST THE FINAL BY ONE POINT
It’s now reported by a New Zealand based publication that World Rugby has conceded that one disallowed try should have been awarded to the All Blacks.
“Stuff understands World Rugby has privately acknowledged to the All Blacks that the ruling out of Aaron Smith’s try in the final was in fact outside the rules, but is refusing to publicly acknowledge that,” the report on Stuff.co.nz reads.
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“Discussions have been ongoing in an effort to get World Rugby to publicly clarify that the TMO ruling was a breach of the current rules governing the game. Smith’s disallowed try occurred in the 54th minute of the tense final at the Stade de France in Paris, following a brilliant break by Richie Mo’unga.
“It was called back when TMO Tom Foley spotted a knock-on at a lineout, and referee Wayne Barnes then disallowed the try.However, the knock-on happened four phases before the Smith try, despite the TMO only having the power to look back two phases for any knock-on in the buildup to a try.”
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“We’ve got to have perspective about this,” Foster said. “It’s a tough game to referee.
“There is a lot of pressure on. Wayne is a quality person and has been a quality referee for a long, long time. I didn’t agree with a number of his decisions (in the final), but that doesn’t change the fact he’s a quality person and quality ref.
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