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I don’t often talk about sport here do I? I would have liked to see France or Ireland, the front runners going into the semifinals, in the final of the last world cup or even more ideally both.
As South Africa and New Zealand had, before this world cup, both won 3 times. But it wasn’t to be and South Africa and New Zealand found themselves playing each other in the final instead, South Africa getting there by one point and NZ thanking Sam Whitelock for a try saving steal.
But in this Final I have never seen such bad refereeing/TMO1 interference, as well as even knowing about the fucking bunker, 17km away from the game, which had ultimate control. There’s some very odd rumours around about who was in that bunker, yes I’m looking at you South Africa.
To warm you up for this article in the England, South Africa semi-final the week before the South African hooker, a black man by the name of Bongi Mbonambi who plays rugby in Europe, had called the English player Tom Curry, not for the first time, a “white cunt”. Curry complained to the referee and the disgraceful slur was referred to World Rugby to act on which they duly did not, most thinking that they lacked the courage to proceed with a claim of racism against a black man. South African players in the meantime had lots of fun coming up with some unbelievable alternatives for what Bongi Mbonambi had said in Afrikaans a language of white South African players which I suspect that he doesn’t even speak let alone want to speak.
In the final it was barely a few minutes before one of the All Blacks was sent off for 10 minutes. I still don’t know what for.
At about 28 minutes the All Black captain (he’s white so was the guy he tackled) was sent off for 10 minutes as well for what I still view as a harmless tackle where there were mitigating circumstances to the claim of him tackling around the head (his knees were bent and the South African had turned back to him2 and was bent down) but the bastards still upgraded his yellow card to a red one making the game a very unfair one. Shortly after half time the South African captain was pinged for the same but there was a lot more maliciousness in his. But he is also black, if that had an impact, and apparently a role model back in South Africa and [so?] he was allowed back on after 10 minutes (at least half the All Black team are Polynesian or Maori so don’t go there).
And then there was this;
A pretty damned good try by Aaron Smith. The referee, a pretty good one normally although some All Blacks’ fans would dispute that, was then earpiece haranged by the TMO to disallow the try because of some knock on several moves earlier. Barnes had already yelled at least twice that “there was no knock on, continue play”. The try should have been allowed to stand, the TMO should never have got in Barne’s ear, Barne’s should have taken no notice and if the Bunker was involved where are the Bunker bombs?
The All Blacks, the best team on the park by a long way, lost by one point.
Today we get this;
Hmmm. Sounds like there should be a rematch.
Television match official.
Makes me think that it could have been deliberate, you wern’t milking a red card deliberately were you South Africa hmmm?
Looks like the final of the Rugby World Cup needs to be replayed
I sent your Substack regarding Rugby to my nephew in NZ. He is involved with coaching
Juniors and young up-coming Japanese players. He didn’t say how disappointed he was
in the World Cup final, but knowing him he would have been extremely disappointed.
He replied with some of his insights.
“I understand the sentiment of the writer. I agree about the first yellow card to Frizzell, I don’t
think it was a penalty let alone a card. Cane’s tackles were a red card all day.
I also don’t have an issue with Kollsi’s yellow card not being upgraded. In general I have
issues with the bunker and TMO (TV Match Official) and the amount of influence they have on
the game. A post match review, as currently happens for referees, can look at any other mistakes.
I have no problems with referees making mistakes, just as players and coaches do.
They need to be supported and to that end I would limit replays being shown at the ground or
on TV - to live speed only - and no slow motion replays.
The referee doesn’t get a slow motion replay to make a decision and nether should critics.
I am also not a fan of rolling mauls from line-outs and think they should be banned. The ball
carrier should always be able to be tackled and not hide behind a wall of his team-mates.
Other than that there was some great Rugby played”.