Joubert and that penalty

[rocktop51]

Apart from the running off the pitch at the end of the match which in my book there was unforgiveable I have an element of sympathy for Joubert.

World Rugby has been uncharacteristic in its comments that it should not have been a penalty - to me that should have been said to him behind closed doors and not in the public domain.

We as spectators or pundits have the benefit of video replays to see whether it should have been a scrum or penalty, who was offside and who wasn't, who did the ball hit and so on. The referee in ANY match sees it in real time and may not possibly have the best view and could be looking at something else for a possible offence.

Whether Joubert's performance overall was good or bad is another matter and that is down to the assesors and I'm not saying that his decision is either right or wrong but he gave what he saw or thought he saw. Unfortunately referees are not perfect much as we'd like them to be.

I do feel an element of sympathy for Scotland -they played well and came close but IMHO were second best. Robbed? Possibly but I'm sure they have won matches on a similar turn of fate.

Just my hopefully balanced view.

[Iain]

It was the wrong decision - but ultimately an understandable one in real time.

World Rugby have chucked him under the bus, which sets a dangerous precedent.

Running off the pitch is pretty appalling and he should be reprimanded for that.

[jgriffin]

I don't see what else he could've done in tht situation - except NOT be Joubert (SH homer). It was the handling of the rest of the game that was as shoddy as usual, personally think many refs would've made the call at the end as he did.

[Smudge]

All very reasonable but no mention of the foul play two seconds before he blew.
Something both he and the TMO could have looked at.

Who is his mentor and defender? The worst referee ever. Kaplan.

Says it all.

[TigerTanks]

It was the wrong decision - but ultimately an understandable one in real time.

agreed.

[Yorkshire man]

I am of the age where when I played the referee was always right, whether he was right or wrong. I am absolutely amazed to say the least that RWC have issued a press release saying he was wrong.

Without doubt the the paying and viewing public have the right to comment and moan about officials, it is sport after all, but what RWC have done is very wrong. What is the next step, a national team suing the referee because of an incorrect decision. That might sound ridiculous, but RWC have definitely hung this poor soul out to dry.

[4071]

I believe the intention from World Rugby was to confirm that once the call was made, there was no option to refer to the TMO.

Everyone knows it was the wrong call, even without WR's statement confirming it. But there was a lot of media speculation and comment that Joubert could (and should) have used the TMO.

WR were confirming that - with the protocols in place - he did not have that option open to him.

To say that he made a wrong call is not exactly chucking him under the bus, because that was apparent to anyone who knows the laws and saw the replay (including, I suspect, Joubert himself). But to confirm that he was unable to use the TMO to reverse the call bails him out on that score.

[biffer]

World Rugby have also put themselves in a position where it would be very difficult for Joubert to referee Scotland again with that statement.

I'm still more angry about the TMO not calling the late challenge on Hogg around 77-78 minutes than the final decision.

[Sajerj]

Jose Mourinho did an interview this week when he talked about the ever increasing 'vulture culture' in England and how it was making his job, and the job of others so difficult.

The treatment of Joubert is very sad, for what was a highly marginal call in real time.

The issue of him running off the pitch is regretable, and one i am sure he would not repeat in hindsight. But calls for him to have his international career terminated on the basis of that are really sad to hear.

[rocktop51]

Looking at the comments above re-assure me that the majority of rugby supporters take a balance view which was what I had I hoped to rugby. To those who replied thank you

[Bill W (2)]

World Rugby were right IMHO to point out that Joubert did not have the option of consulting the TMO open to him.

They were wrong, IMHO, to confirm that his decision was wrong.

He was the referee. He was the sole arbiter of fact.

So he was right even if he were wrong!

[jonlin]

All very reasonable but no mention of the foul play two seconds before he blew.
Something both he and the TMO could have looked at.

Who is his mentor and defender? The worst referee ever. Kaplan.

Says it all.

I thought is mentor was Andre Watson, given the fact that he awarded Australia a
scrum pen a couple of minutes before the final whistle in 2003.Penalty should have gone the other way. That game was Watson's last.

[Ads677]

Seems to me that the TMOs let Joubert down - the final penalty was an honest mistake, but with all the technology at their disposal I think the TMOs failed in their principle duty on at least two (crucial) occasions in that game.

[Norfolk & Goode]

Lewis Moody's view:

"I am very surprised how the rugby world has reacted to craig Joubert. Some of the criticism is crazy. Yes the decision to run of field was a strange one but until we know why let's not jump to conclusions.
Ultimately he Is not allowed to consult the TMO on these matters the rules prevent it. The reality is a Scottish player knocked it on and a Scottish player in front played it. Penalty!
In my opinion Phipps didn't play the ball it mearly bounced of him.
The best case for Scotland could have been a scrum to Australia that is if Joubert had in deed been allowed by the rules to consult the TMO. However I feel the TMO still would have awarded the penalty.
The sad reality is in knock out rugby you have to nail your basics had Scotland who had been outstanding for 78 mins hit the easy throw In the rain and not stretched the jumper on a long throw the game probably would have been there's.
By missing the jumper they put the decision out of there hands".
Let's hold our selves to higher standards in rugby and not jump on the easy band wagon of criticising the ref who like all of us is only human and trying to officiate what was an incredible game of rugby.

[TigerCam]

Apart from the running off the pitch at the end of the match which in my book there was unforgiveable I have an element of sympathy for Joubert.

World Rugby has been uncharacteristic in its comments that it should not have been a penalty - to me that should have been said to him behind closed doors and not in the public domain.

We as spectators or pundits have the benefit of video replays to see whether it should have been a scrum or penalty, who was offside and who wasn't, who did the ball hit and so on. The referee in ANY match sees it in real time and may not possibly have the best view and could be looking at something else for a possible offence.

Whether Joubert's performance overall was good or bad is another matter and that is down to the assesors and I'm not saying that his decision is either right or wrong but he gave what he saw or thought he saw. Unfortunately referees are not perfect much as we'd like them to be.

I do feel an element of sympathy for Scotland -they played well and came close but IMHO were second best. Robbed? Possibly but I'm sure they have won matches on a similar turn of fate.

Just my hopefully balanced view.

+1