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Comments made by South African hooker Bongi Mbonambi towards English match day referee Matthew Carley has been heavily criticised on social media.
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Mbonambi could be heard telling Carley to ‘ref both sides’, with many drawing a line directly to outspoken Springboks director of rugby Rassie Erasmus, who was this week banned for two matches after posting videos online about refereeing decisions.
“Bongi telling the ref to ‘ref both sides.’ Where would he have got that idea from?,” wrote one Twitter user. “Really not a good look from Boks.”
Bongi telling the ref to ‘ref both sides.’ Where would he have got that idea from? ? Really not a good look from Boks.
— Craig Ray (@craigray11) November 19, 2022
Irish rugby journalist Andy McGeady wrote: “Now a springbok is being spoken to by the referee for having told the ref “to referee both sides”. It really would be nice if the… *checks notes*… reigning World Cup champions could just stop with the victimhood.”
Now a springbok is being spoken to by the referee for having told the ref “to referee both sides”.
It really would be nice if the… *checks notes*… reigning World Cup champions could just stop with the victimhood.#ITAvRSA
— Andy McGeady (@andymcgeady) November 19, 2022
Dead Ball Area wrote: “South Africas discipline is atrocious. For a player to stand up and say “ref both sides”. It is so weird because SA have traditionally been super disciplined. But Le Roux, Bongi Mbonambi all huge mouths on them… not the way to get a ref on your side.”
South Africas discipline is atrocious. For a player to stand up and say "ref both sides". ?
It is so weird because SA have traditionally been super disciplined.
But Le Roux, Bongi Mbonambi all huge mouths on them… not the way to get a ref on your side.
— thedeadballarea (@thedeadballarea) November 19, 2022
“I do believe I just heard Bongi telling the ref to “referee both sides”. This culture of ref blaming is permeating the side. Slippery slope this Rassie,” observed another.
I do believe I just heard Bongi telling the ref to “referee both sides”. This culture of ref blaming is permeating the side. Slippery slope this Rassie.
— Mark Ellis (@Mellis_007) November 19, 2022
While some were criticising the comments from Bongi, many other South African accounts were against suggesting that Springboks were the victims of some kind of ongoing conspiracy.
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“Amazingly, no re-play from your Italian broadcasting partner for the late tackle on Willie LeRoux or the the hit on Bongi Mbonambi?,” wrote one poster, apparently referencing the idea that even host broadcasters are trying to undermine the Springboks.
@SuperSportTV Amazingly, no re-play from your Italian broadcasting partner for the late tackle on Willie LeRoux or the the hit on Bongi Mbonambi? #Springboks
— Margie Gandur (@margieMYDNA) November 19, 2022
South African director of rugby Erasmus was banned for two matches on Thursday, a decision the union have not appealed.
I'm a Springbok supporter and believe that players must at all times be respectful towards a ref - end of the debate... Leave the talking to your captain.
The real shocker is that no-one seems to be sense-checking World Rugby's statement issued on Thursday, that "Match officials are the backbone of the sport and without them there is no game."
What BS!!?!?!?
Amatuer players are the backbone of this sport, followed by the (paying) fans. All the money generated globally in the professional space has its roots in the amateur game. Match officials (and the administrators) are __servants __ of the game. Average officials are very easy to replace. (lets not forget that International refs are paid professionals - not part time volunteers.) Why WR wants to give them "untouchable" status - I don't know? (Players & coaches don't get any protection) Perhaps it stems from guilt because WR are unable to fix these glaring problems?
The gap between the top 10 teams globally has narrowed so much in recent years, that any test results can easily be swung on a single officiating blunder.
@WR: Respect your players and fans. Fix the system, make officiateing easy, be more innovative and be more transparent. You're ruining a great game.
Agreed, it’s as if rugby union (league in many ways doesn’t have this issue) is the only global sport that makes Demi-gods out of their refs, and since it’s the only card they can play to save from being irrelevant in some ways, they lay into it like a starving pup at the tit.
Is there a similar one-sided article on RugbyPass about Owen Farrell saying a similar thing?
Obviously sitting on your couch you don't get to experience what the players do on the field but I got the impression Carley was one of the better refs on display today. Unlike his compatriot Barnes he didn't make rash decisions and checked in with the TMO whenever there was doubt. To me in my lounge it seemed he had a good rapport with the players and it is surprising to hear about Bongi's comment. Maybe a hangover from earlier games where the refs got things wrong and became in the players minds, the opposition?
Is World Rugby doing enough to ensure the refs make the right rulings and do they sanction ones who don't?
Farrell passed the same comment to Raynal, I hope those 2 players will be sanctioned.
The real problem is not to punish the players, but to know why they allow themselves today unthinkable words a short time ago. In French, we say that "the fish rots by the head" and today the head is Erasmus who, by his "Trumpian" antics implicitly gives authorization for such behavior. It is time to sanction him definitively.