Rugby World Cup: New Zealand demands clarification on final judging
It was not only the French team that poorly digested their narrow-point defeat to South Africa. After narrowly losing the final (11-12) last Saturday, New Zealand asked World Rugby, the reference body for world rugby responsible for the World Cup, for clarification on the refereeing of the final.
“We have sent a number of files to World Rugby to get some feedback. We hope they will,” All Blacks coach Ian Foster told an audience of New Zealand journalists. However, XV president de la Fougère refused to discuss the controversial actions taken These files indicated it. “Oh, I think you can guess them,” he joked quickly, without saying more.
In the final match, referee Wayne Barnes showed a red card to the black team captain, Sam Kane, after a dangerous high tackle in the 29th minute, following the intervention of the video assistant and the dugout. In the second period, Siya Kolisi, his Springboks counterpart, received a simple yellow card for a possible similar action. The video referees, after also using the dugout, ruled that the South African had benefited from “extenuating circumstances”.
This was Ian Foster's final match as All Blacks coach, with Scott Robertson already announcing his take over. Before receiving a possible response from World Rugby, the coach must still assess his performance at the helm of the national team. “It probably won't happen officially (with the players). I announce that it will definitely be me and my staff. But will they talk about refereeing?