The Wallabies still haven’t digested the whistle from Mr. Raynal, who last Saturday gave the All Blacks victory in stoppage time. However, the French referee will officiate again for the rematch this Saturday.
Five days that Australian officials and media did not take off. They reiterate their anger towards the guilty Mr. Raynal, they say, handing the All Blacks victory last Saturday by penalizing Wallabies starter Bernard Foley for saving time. A penalty at source Try of the victory of the New Zealanders in discount (37-39). Wallabies coach Dave Rennie even came up with a rule. The French referee should have taken a young card from Foley but left the benefit of the penalty to his team…
Evidence that this is not happening, Rugby Australia lodged an official complaint with Rugby World on Wednesday seeking an explanation from the governing body. The Australian federation no longer disputes the legitimacy of this decision, which corresponds to article 20: “a penalty must be played without delay”, under penalty of being sanctioned with a scrum, but points out that Mr. Raynal did not make the same decision before the New Zealand fly half Richie Mo’unga’a, who took 85 seconds to kick his penalty without being called to order in the 71me minute.
It is highly unlikely that World Rugby will govern Mr Raynal. The proof is that the French referee has been renewed and, as planned, he will be part of the refereeing quartet for the rematch between the two teams, this Saturday (9:00 am) in Auckland. On this occasion he will be on the sidelines, in accordance with the usual rotation, this time Irishman Andrew Brace taking the whistle. Frenchman Pierre Brousset will be the second line judge.
“It doesn’t matter if Mathieu Raynal is susceptible…”
Australian second row Jed Holloway
At a press conference, second row Jed Holloway pressed Raynal. “We have to channel our frustration with this decision. We are still bitter about how we lost, but we have to do the right thing. We have to control what we can, no matter how sensitive Mathieu Raynal is. If we play the 80 minutes well, I’m sure we’ll get a good result.”
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