Summary
- The Australian rugby team has written to World Rugby over Mathieu Raynal’s time-wasting call
- The Wallabies lost to the All Blacks 39-37 during last week’s match in Melbourne
- The team wants the sport’s governing body to review its officiating rules
After its controversial defeat to New Zealand in their Bledisloe Cup match last week, Rugby Australia has written to World Rugby, urging the sport’s world governing body to act on officiating issues.
The move stems from what had transpired during the final stages of the Melbourne match, when French referee Mathieu Raynal decided to penalize Bernard Foley for taking too long to kick the ball, with just a minute left in the game and with the Wallabies close to clinching what would have been a historic victory.
Raynal’s call, unusual in elite rugby, gave the All Blacks the chance to secure a 39-37 win, retaining the title for the 20th year in a row.
The events sparked an uproar among rugby fans, coaches, and pundits, with Australia’s head coach Dave Rennie blasting Raynal for not having a feel for the game and the situation.
A spokesperson for Rugby Australia confirmed that they’ve sent a letter to World Rugby to raise their concerns over Raynal’s controversial call. The team also pointed out that refereeing issues in rugby are not entirely new and that the governing body must take them seriously and do something about them.
Back in July, England head coach Eddie Jones said he would lobby World Rugby to make some changes to the officiating rules, especially regarding the “incessant” use of the television match official (TMO) which he said is ruining the sport.
Foley said it’s the first time that he has encountered such a scenario and while it had cost the team its first win in two decades, there are lessons to be learned and what they can do now is to study the incident so they’ll know what to do if similar situations arise in their future matches.
Australia will once again face New Zealand for the Rugby Championship at Eden Park on September 24. The Wallabies will look at ending their 36-year losing streak at the venue, but it remains to be seen whether they’ll be successful in their goal. Loose forward Rob Leota will skip the match after getting injured during the Melbourne match.
Darcy Swain may not be playing as well as he faces a lengthy suspension for his dangerous cleanout on New Zealand’s Quinn Tupaea. It was in 1986 when Australia last won the Rugby Championship at Eden Park, New Zealand’s largest sports stadium.
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