Should Smith be awarded a try in the final? World Rugby denies it

Aurelien Cano, Media365 Posted on Tuesday, November 14, 2023 at 9:36 pm.

New Zealand media revealed on Tuesday that World Rugby recently privately admitted that Aaron Smith’s try in the World Cup final against South Africa which could have given the All Blacks victory should have been accepted. But the authority did not want this to reach the public’s ears. However, she denied this a few hours later.

The file of the last World Cup, which South Africa won for the second time in a row, seemed to be closed once and for all. Maybe not so. This Tuesday, New Zealand media Things In fact, he re-launched the debate born of the last final of this World Cup after learning of revelations made by World Rugby on the sidelines of that final which the Springboks won by one point (12-11) against New Zealand. Thus, in private, the body could have conceded to the New Zealanders that a try scored by Aaron Smith but was disallowed by the referee when it could have allowed the three-time world champions to beat South Africa. Things It thus demonstrates that in the eyes of World Rugby, which it would not have hidden from the losers on 28 October, Smith’s attempt was unfairly disallowed to the extent that the video referee could not have been used in a regulatory manner. Indeed, the rule, which was updated in 2022, stipulates that the video referee cannot return more than two sequences before the test in question.

The rugby world didn’t want to know

However, after assessing that the New Zealanders were guilty of moving forward at the start of play, i.e. after a throw-in, and thus four plays before the phase of play that led to Smith’s try, Tom Foley, in charge of the video referee on the day, decided to rule referee Wayne Barnes to rule out All Blacks try. Even more dangerous: World Rugby, during this same “out” conversation with New Zealand, would have declared that it was out of the question to communicate this conclusion publicly, and that remorse for not fact-checking Smith’s article was inevitable. Remain private. until Things Do not throw stones into the pond. Until the debate resumes, there may be only one step left.

World Rugby denies it

Moreover, a few hours later, World Rugby denied this information in a press release: “As confirmed before the 2023 World Cup, World Rugby does not comment publicly on the decisions of match referees. We support our team of match officials, who perform one of the most difficult tasks.” “In professional sport at an exceptional level. As we have seen in recent months, unfortunately, criticizing match officials can have wide-ranging consequences, including online hate and threats, and we need to be aware of this human impact.”