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I was taught that rugby is a hooligan sport played by gentlemen (and ladies). Yet the backlash against Craig Joubert has been seriously unfair and not in the spirit of the game.
By my count, only three other people on the planet can attest to having refereed a quarter-final at the Rugby World Cup under the current laws of the game.
If any of them were to offer constructive criticism, that would be worth hearing; the rest is just white noise.
I doubt those three would have anything critical to say though. They would understand the pressure Joubert were under, the speed of the decision-making and the fatigue he was suffering.
It is very easy for us to sit on our lounges and criticise the call… Or is it? It still seems that there are daily articles about whether he got it right.
In the 79th minute Joubert made a call, without the assistance of the TMO, which would likely decide the outcome of the game. Even now – with the assistance of hindsight, multiple camera angles and in-depth analysis of the rulebook – there is still an arguable case both in favour and against awarding the penalty.
The call itself must be assigned to the grey area.
So what is left? The treatment of the man himself.
Anyone who can say with one hundred per cent certainty that Joubert was wrong, or that they would have done better is foolish. How would they know? Were they stood in his shoes? Did they have his line of sight?
The Scots can feel disappointed, their team played well and it is never easy being knocked out of the World Cup. However, directing that anguish at the referee is inappropriate.
The fact of the matter is that referees are human beings. Human beings make mistakes. Every knock-on, forward pass, missed tackle and penalty conceded is a mistake. We do not expect the players to be perfect. Why the unrealistic standard for the referees?
In the Broncos versus Cowboys NRL grand final, Ben Hunt dropped the ball off the kick-off in extra time. This mistake ultimately cost the Broncos the game, with Johnathan Thurston dropping a goal in the plays that followed.
Was Hunt derided? Criticised? Threatened? Abused? I sincerely hope not. Referees should be offered the same reverence as the disappointed Hunt.
Admittedly, some mistakes have more extreme consequences than others but that does not take away from the fact that after 79 minutes of fatiguing play, with a preceding myriad of correct calls (and some less so – sin-binning Sean Maitland), Joubert called what he saw.
It may have cost him the World Cup final, and that I find disappointing, but he should hold his head up high. I am also disappointed that World Rugby did not have the gall to back their man.
So while I cannot say I understand, because I did not referee a quarter-final, I do empathise.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.