Could we find yourself with a New Zealand versus England World Cup ultimate?
Given that Steve Borthwick’s misfiring crew will first have to reverse their 2019 ultimate defeat in opposition to a South African facet who performed beautifully to see off hosts France it appears unlikely.
However it’s doable and if that’s the case, along with shock finalists, we can also have a really sudden World Cup ultimate referee.
WATCH as French captain Antoine Dupont spits the dummy about some of referee Ben O’Keeffe’s choice of their one-point loss to South Africa
With Jaco Peyper most likely dominated out by harm – though this isn’t but confirmed – and Wayne Barnes plus Ben O’Keeffe ineligible on account of their nationalities, of the 4 quarter-final referees France’s Mathieu Raynal would be the final man standing.
I’m reliably knowledgeable that World Rugby’s post-pool stage pecking order had the 4 primary contact judges appointed to the quarter finals as their fifth to eighth ranked referees behind Barnes, Peyper, O’Keeffe and Raynal.
Of these Karl Dickson, Matthew Carley and Paul Williams are additionally ineligible on nationality grounds which leaves Australian Nic Berry as the subsequent greatest choice to Raynal. Interestingly Berry and Raynal have been two of the three referees who took cost of check matches in the 2021 Lions collection.
More most likely New Zealand will play South Africa with Wayne Barnes in cost and Raynal on the touchline however by no means say by no means…
Prior to then don’t be stunned if Barnes is given a relaxation from subsequent weekend’s semi-finals to make sure he doesn’t comply with Peyper to the physio’s room forward of the ultimate.
My greatest guess due to this fact is that Raynal will take cost of New Zealand v Argentina with O’Keeffe whistling England v South Africa.
South Africa v France
Anyone lucky sufficient to have Stade de France tickets for each Saturday and Sunday’s quarter-finals has been handled to a tremendous weekend of rugby.
From a refereeing perspective, the greatest eye-catcher from South Africa’s win over the hosts was the unimaginable self-discipline proven by each side who conceded solely six penalties apiece plus the yellow card proven to Eben Etzebeth.
An all-Kiwi officiating crew loved a typically sound evening with there most likely being just one main speaking level at the finish of the tightest doable encounter.
This got here 12 minutes from time when France kicked off following Etzebeth’s attempt to ended up conceding a penalty on midway after the ball went unfastened they usually killed it on the floor when in retreat.
English TV protection centered on the breakdown penalty – which with a number of palms on the ball might have gone both manner earlier than O’Keeffe rewarded Kwagga Smith. But previous to that was there a knock-on by Deon Fourie which took the ball out of Antoine Dupont’s grasp?
Since Handre Pollard then turned the penalty into three factors with a mighty thump of his proper boot and France in the end got here up quick by one level these have been clearly key calls which hopefully have been reviewed ‘behind the scenes’ by the TMO.
Keep the ref posted
There have been a handful of actually inventive concepts in each groups’ recreation plans and it set me questioning whether or not O’Keeffe had been made conscious beforehand of some of their deliberate improvements?
For instance, when France added centre Jonathan Danty to the entrance of a third-minute lineout that they had 9 forwards and three lifting pods which is authorized but additionally barely uncommon.
And when South Africa’s Damian Willemse referred to as a mark late in the first half the Springboks promptly exercised their proper (below regulation 20) to take a scrum as a substitute of a free kick. Presumably, this was influenced by a sense that their entrance row have been getting on high – a scrum penalty subsequently confirmed this as a sensible choice – however this was a really uncommon choice to take inside their very own 22.
Clearly you’d count on a global referee to interpret these conditions appropriately regardless of seeing them for the first time in the red-hot cauldron of a recreation being performed at 90 mph. However, by quietly telling him what would possibly occur beforehand groups take away any risk of O’Keeffe being caught out by their modern method.
Faffing About
South Africa’s bench proved the distinction between these two excellent groups and it was their alternative scrum-half Faf de Klerk that created a scenario which I assumed O’Keeffe dealt with beautifully.
With the Springboks piling strain on the event hosts the former Sale no.9 collected the ball at the base of the breakdown 4 minutes from time and fired it immediately at a French participant who was nonetheless on the floor a pair of metres behind him following the earlier section.
Clearly this was an try to ‘buy’ a penalty which might have given the Boks three straightforward factors at a significant level in the match – however as a substitute it proved a waste of good attacking possession since O’Keeffe promptly advised de Klerk that he was not and gave a scrum.
Clever play or sharp follow…take your alternative, however for me it was nice to see this dealt with so firmly.
