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Opinion
We all saw it. We all witnessed it. We were all there, whether at ground or in front of our TVs, to witness it. We all went wow.
We all knew it was the very end of the game. We all then said ‘WTF?’
I’m obviously talking here about that moment in time, those last few seconds of time, where a certain person in the middle blew the pea in their whistle and in that resulting action caused the world to stop.
Momentarily stop. It was, of course, the first game of the 2022 Bledisloe Cup being fought out in front of a full house, under the cover of roof, at another marvellous stadium in Melbourne.
The city of Melbourne, a city that lays claim to being the sport’s capital of the world, Melbourne. And for the previous last 79 minutes or so that claim felt in no need of counter claim.
This indeed was a world-class sporting spectacle. A contest for the ages. But what went wrong?
Just what happened to suddenly, in the blink of an eye, to change all that? Give cause to change all that? Did the stadium collapse? No. Did the sky fall in and bring the roof down? No. Did a sniper go nuts shooting from the upper levels of the stadium? No. Thankfully, no!
No, what happened was the referee, that person in the middle officiating the game, decide to blow their whistle, and in turn decide the ever likely result of the game. A result now turned on it’s head. It was just like they’d snapped their fingers and click everything changed. Changed for the worst. Probably changed for the worst.
Now, I’ve been watching Test match rugby for longer than most here on The Roar have probably been alive, and I’ve never seen anything like this before. Nor do I wish to ever see it again.
No-one, regardless of which sport that follow, wants a referee to basically determine the outcome of any game. Let the players who actually are playing the game do that. Decide that. After all that’s what they’re for to do and we, the supporters, want them to do. Battle it out to find the victor.
Thus, what should have happened?
Well, for mine the referee should’ve just let Foley kick the ball out. And there’s been plenty of times in the game of rugby where the exact same scenario has played out. Kick the ball out. Time is up on the clock. Play the line out. Hopefully win the line out. Kick the ball into rows XYZ, seat 10, 11, 12. Win the game. Yeah baby!
Referee Mathieu Raynal speaks to Nic White and Bernard Foley (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
I don’t care whether the law was correctly applied and carried out here by the referee because for the last 50 something years or so, in the same situation, this is how the game ends. It’s an unwritten law ffs!
Further, what really gets my goat is that this match, such as was witnessed prior to the ‘incident’ was a truely classic match worthy of a Bled Cup game, a game/series steeped with much history, a game where the ABs have had that bloody Bled Cup for 20 odd years, and a game that produced some magic rugby moments to treasure forever. But it didn’t happen.
No, this game will be now remembered for all the wrong reasons. And that’s just plain wrong. Sadly wrong.
Anyhow, well done to the All Blacks on your victory, as in the wash-up it was still there very much for the taking… just wished the referee hadn’t sorta, well, like gifted you the win.
Oh, and see ewes at Eden Park next weekend to continue this great rivalry, and in doing so take the referee out of deciding the game. Leave that to the two of us. Please.
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.