France sent a report on the refereeing at the Rugby World Championship
From behind, the New Zealand referee for the France-South Africa match, Mr O’Keefe. Anne-Christine Pujolat/AFP
The president of the French Football Federation made this decision so that “conclusions” could be drawn after the controversial elimination to South Africa in the quarter-finals.
In response to a question from RMC, French Football Federation president Florian Grill revealed that France had sent its governing body, World Rugby, a report on New Zealand referee Ben O’Keefe during the World Cup quarter-final match he lost. To South Africa last Sunday (28-29).
“There are conclusions to be drawn from this match, because there are always conclusions to be drawn from a match. We therefore submitted a report on arbitration. It’s not a complaint, because the match won’t be replayed anyway. We have also discussed very firmly with World Rugby because out of the 20 committees, there are only one or two French people who are hardly involved.»
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“I asked the French team to send a full report on the refereeing because we always have to progress. Always say what works and what doesn’t, if anything. The referee is not infallible, just as the player is not infallible“, he added French rugby president at the RMC microphone.
The New Zealand FA did the same in 2007 after being eliminated by France
Following their 2007 World Cup quarter-final defeat to France, the New Zealand FA sent a report pointing out the controversial decisions of English referee Wayne Barnes, deploring, among other things, Frydek Michalak’s forward pass on goal. Article by Yannick Gozione.
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