Rugby World Cup final officiating criticised by former All Blacks

WELLINGTON – Former All Blacks and New Zealand’s media lamented the impact of cards in Test rugby following the heart-rending 12-11 loss to South Africa in the Rugby World Cup final on Saturday.

While the Springboks were praised for clinching the Webb Ellis Cup for a fourth time by winning a tense decider in Paris, former Test stars Israel Dagg and John Kirwan were critical of officiating they believe cost the All Blacks dearly.

Dagg claimed Test rugby was being eroded as a spectacle by the increasing use of red and yellow cards for foul play and professional fouls.

The All Blacks spent the last 53 minutes reduced to 14 men after captain Sam Cane was shown red for a high tackle on Jesse Kriel.

New Zealand also had a wonderful Aaron Smith try chalked off via the Television Match Official for a knock-on on the other side of the pitch.

Said Cane: “I am not here to say whether it is right or wrong, it can’t be changed. Unfortunately it is something I will have to live with forever.”

Dagg said while the offence was serious, rugby’s lawmakers needed to make post-game punishment a priority, as an on-field ruling had in this case tilted the game too far in South Africa’s favour.

He also said an early yellow card shown to Shannon Frizell for dropping on the legs of Bongi Mbonambi – forcing the Springbok hooker out of the game with an injury – was not justified.

He aimed his criticism at referee Wayne Barnes and television match official Tom Foley – both Englishmen.

Barnes seemed to spend half the match, along with the 80,000 crowd, looking at the giant screens for replays of incidents usually brought to his attention by the TMO, the latest version of video refereeing introduced in the years after the sport turned professional in 1999.

“This is our showpiece event, which has been overshadowed by a couple of people that are just taking the glory and the gloss away from the players,” Dagg told Sky Sport.

“I’m honestly just fed up... it is putting apprehension in the mind of our players.

“You can see why people switch off the game, because it’s as boring as hell, because you don’t have the best players out there.

“There were some contentious moments but deal with it after the game.”

Media outlets also highlighted Cane’s punishment as the final’s key moment, with a New Zealand Herald headline calling the defeat “heart-wrenching”.

“It was a sad moment for the game and the World Cup because no one, presumably, wanted a red card to be the differentiator in the final,” its website report said.

Kirwan hailed the riveting nature of the final and praised the Springboks, who had two players shown yellow cards in the second half – captain Siya Kolisi and winger Cheslin Kolbe.

However, he believed Kolisi’s head-high contact warranted a red.

“I feel like crying, because Sam Cane, that’s so tough on the man,” Kirwan said, adding: “I don’t know why (Kolisi’s yellow) wasn’t elevated to a red.”

It was a view shared by the All Blacks’ outgoing coach Ian Foster. “I don’t want to be us talking about red cards,” said Foster.

“The game has got a few issues it’s got to sort out. That’s not sour grapes. There were two similar incidents, one was a red, one was a yellow.” AFP, REUTERS