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Outspoken Australian pundit Phil Kearns has launched a remarkable broadside against referee Romain Poite and his fellow officials following the Wallabies loss to Wales in Tokyo tonight.
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The Wallabies fell 25-29 to Warren Gatland’s men amid muggy weather conditions in the Japanese capital.
The men in red survived a late quarter Australian fightback in a game that was again marked by several controversial refereeing decisions.
Wallabies centre Samu Kerevi was penalized for allegedly leading with the forearm in a collision with replacement flyhalf Rhys Patchell.
Kearns was furious at the call, and put Poite on blast on Australian television.
“The whole referring display has been disgraceful, not only by Romain Poite but by Ben Skeen as well,” Kearns said on Fox Sports.
Wales finish off Australia! #AUSvWAL #RWC2019 #RWC?? pic.twitter.com/eLhuau8HdB
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 29, 2019
“Wales have played some smart rugby. Wallabies have made some dumb mistakes, but it was just embarrassing that the referee hasn’t gone back to look how far, he’s even two-meters in front of his own defensive line that are moving up, that’s an embarrassment.”
Former Wallaby Stephen Hoiles backed up his Fox Sports’ colleague.
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“If you’re going to spend five minutes of the game to check a ball carry, you’ve got to go back and check for offside,” Hoiles said on Fox Sports.
This match had it all – the good, the bad and the ugly. Two perplexing decisions, in particular, will be under the microscope. https://t.co/BfhQ9Cdv7c #RWC2019 #AUSvWAL
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 29, 2019
“Michael Hooper made a very good point, what is the ball carrier meant to do? All of this came on the back of that terrible decision against Samu’s ball carry. It’s been a huge momentum swing back to Wales.
“This is what happens when World Rugby come out and make a weak statement after week one and say they’re not happy with the referring.
“You make referees paranoid, the (Television Match Officials) become paranoid, they talk to each other all game.”
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Speaking directly after the game, Hooper remarked: “Of course, it’s a World Cup. There were some big calls, some went our way, some didn’t. We’ve got to pick ourselves back up.”
Press conference with Scotland coach Gregor Townsend after announcing his team for Monday’s World Cup match against Samoa.
