Rugby World Cup final result hit by controversy after 'outside rules' admission

15 November 2023 , 10:24

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Rugby World Cup final result hit by controversy after 'outside rules' admission

World Rugby have privately admitted New Zealand's disallowed try in the Rugby World Cup final should have stood, it has been claimed.

The All Blacks were narrowly beaten in the final in Saint-Denis, with South Africa retaining their title after a 12-11 victory. New Zealand scored the game's only try through Beauden Barrett, but four penalties from Handre Pollard gave the Springboks victory.

Before Barrett's successful try, though, Aaron Smith crossed early in the second half. The score was chalked off, with officials citing a knock-on from Ardie Savea following a TMO review, but the decision has now been called into question.

According to New Zealand publication Stuff, World Rugby privately acknowledged the decison to disallow the try was "outside the rules". However, no public admission has been made.

The controversy surrounds the length of time between Savea's knock-on and Smith's try. The offence is understood to have taken place four phases before the try, at a line-out, but TMO decisions are only allowed to go back two phases.

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As recognised by multiple publications, the discrepancy relates to TMO regulations, which were clarified in 2022. Per that 2022 update, interventions are permitted in relation to “all clear and obvious knock-on or throw forward infringements within two phases leading to a possible try.”

Would New Zealand have won if the try was allowed to stand? Have your say in the comments section

Aaron Smith saw a try controversially disallowed (AP)

The disallowed try wasn't the only controversial moment in the final. New Zealand captain Sam Crane saw his yellow card upgraded to red in the first half, but South Africa's Siya Kolisi escaped the same punishment following a head-to-head collision in the second period.

“There will be plenty of time to analyse," All Blacks coach Ian Foster said after the game. "There was an attempt to wrap [by Cane], and there didn’t seem to be a lot of force in the contact.

“But [Kolisi’s] hit on Ardie [Savea] had a lot of force going into the contact and had a direct contact on the head, so the game has a got few issues it has to sort out and that is not sour grapes. It is that you have got two different situations with different variables and one is a red card and one is a yellow card. And that is the game.

“It’s probably for the game to decide at some point. It’s not tonight.”

Foster, who knew before the tournament that he would be leaving after the final, refused to blame referee Wayne Barnes after the defeat. “It’s a tough game to referee," he said.

"There is a lot of pressure on. Wayne is a quality person and has been a quality referee for a long, long time. I didn’t agree with a number of his decisions last night but that doesn’t change the fact he’s a quality person and quality ref."

Tom Victor