The All Blacks have received an acknowledgment from World Rugby regarding at least one significant officiating error during the World Cup final. Wayne Barnes, the most experienced referee in World Rugby, officiated the emotionally charged final between the Springboks and All Blacks, which took place last month. Barnes has since announced his retirement from the game.
One of the major contentious moments during the final was the decision to red card All Blacks captain Sam Cane, a decision made via the bunker review system rather than on-field officials. In response, the All Blacks submitted an official complaint to World Rugby, expressing concerns about various aspects of the officiating.
Notably, World Rugby has reportedly privately conceded that a disallowed try should have been awarded to the All Blacks. The disallowed try in question occurred in the 54th minute of the final when Aaron Smith’s try was called back due to a knock-on at a lineout, spotted by TMO Tom Foley. The report indicates that the knock-on had occurred four phases before Smith’s try, exceeding the TMO’s authority to look back only two phases for such incidents.
While World Rugby has acknowledged this privately to the All Blacks, they have not made a public acknowledgment. Discussions have been ongoing to persuade World Rugby to publicly clarify that the TMO ruling was a breach of the current rules governing the game.
Despite these officiating controversies, the All Blacks have sought to maintain perspective, acknowledging the challenges of refereeing in a tough game. Outgoing coach Ian Foster commented on the situation, stating that while he disagreed with some of Barnes’s decisions in the final, Barnes is a quality person and referee with a long and respected career.
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