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Scott Robertson opens up on drama surrounding Bongi Mbonambi's knock-on try

Bongi Mbonambi of the Springboks in action during the Castle Lager Rugby Championship match between South Africa and New Zealand at Emirates Airline Park on August 31, 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

All Blacks head coach Scott Roberston has revealed how the side tried to intervene to get Springboks’ hooker Bongi Mbonambi’s controversial try looked at in the Ellis Park Test last year.

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The Springboks were blindly awarded a try to Bongi Mbonambi breaking from the back off the maul against the All Blacks in Johannesburg, despite replays showing a clear knock-on by the hooker afterward.

The crucial five points scored by Mbonambi aided the Springboks in the final wash in their 31-27 win.

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Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus talks about the number of seasoned front row players unavailable

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      Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus talks about the number of seasoned front row players unavailable

      Robertson has revealed that they attempted to challenge the decision and alert the officials but referee Andrew Brace didn’t understand what they were requesting.

      “Let’s use Bongi’s try, that wasn’t a try, that was a try,” Robertson told Justin Marshall in an exclusive interview for The Breakdown, “That’s a prime example.”

      “Ellis Park, first Test, at that moment, you know it is not going to go up on the big screen, not at Ellis Park.

      “So our analyst, who is always checking that stuff. He’ll say ‘it’s a knock-on Razor’, okay sweet, I go straight down to Scooter [Scott Barrett], “Scooter, get to Andrew Brace.”

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      “Sacha at that stage was taking the kick [at goal]. Remember, he went too long on the kick, over 30 seconds.

      “Scooter comes up to him [Brace] and goes “can you check the knock-on from Bongi?”, he goes “nah, nah, we’ve got the kick he’s over the 30 second limit”.

      “Scooter goes “nah, nah, nah, we’re not worried about the kick, we’re worried about the try” and he goes “I’m not talking about the kick, he’s missed it.”

      That got Scott Robertson up in arms and reacting to the drama unfolding on the field.

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      “Anyway so there’s confusion around which one [we are asking about].

      “We should’ve gone to the AR. Talk to him and get through so the guy upstairs can see it, because you’ve got until the kick off. The conversion’s done but you’ve got til the kick off, the next start of play.

      “That’s when you see me animated, “Don’t kick it off D-Mac, hold the ball, hold the ball” and the ref’s going “kick it”.

      “Those are the ones I’ve got to be a step ahead, I can’t get too emotional in that moment because I’ve got to think what’s next.”

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      Comments

      69 Comments
      C
      CT 9 days ago

      🥱

      R
      RedWarrior 34 days ago

      I’m with Rutgar Hauer on this. Long Black leather coat, picks up a cool pint of Guinness tastes, sighs in satisfaction and says: “Not all Black magic, is mumbo jumbo”.

      NZ journos and supporters…For God’s sake please!!…enough of the Mumbo Jumbo!!!

      R
      Red and White Dynamight 35 days ago

      Only confirmed what we already knew. Boks and SARU and their broadcasters are cheats. Its happened before, 10yrs previously also at Ellis Park for the P.Lambie winning kick. WR sanctioned them, not that SARU care about the ‘rules’. Boks always on the cheat, especially at home.

      W
      Werner 35 days ago

      Yeah you’re right! They are totally the only county and venue to do this… I think I saw Rassie slip the TMO and touchies a R20.


      Thanks for your completely objective view from up there on there on your high horse

      Y
      YeowNotEven 35 days ago

      A few minutes later the ABs were awarded a BS obstruction try, so it balanced out almost immediately.

      But even if it hadnt, it would have another time on another day.

      That’s the sport of rugby; it’s a a lot of different rules and moving parts being interpreted in real time… you will always get some calls for you and some against you.

      There has never in the history of the sport been a game reffed perfectly, someone always complains about being hard done by.

      C
      CO 35 days ago

      What nonsense, it was a simple knock on. Whataboutisms doesn't change the fact that at international level with full replays showing it the Boks somehow got awarded points for a knock on.

      J
      JR 36 days ago

      When any decision/call is highlighted, fans can easily bring up another, conflicting scenario… The obvious problem is the conflated ruleset that rugby admins have created - which is impossible to officiate perfectly. Instead, refs are each told to ‘interpret’ the rules - which is a recipe for inconsistency and frustration.

      D
      DK 36 days ago

      Bok supporter here who agrees it was no try by Bongi … BUT the Codie Taylor try in 7th minute should also have been cancelled. Boks appealed clear double banking at lineout drive but Brace ignored them. Replays show very clearly the lineout taker is shielded by both props. Plus 7 and minus 7 gives you the same result Razor. If you wanna argue referee calls at least be honest !

      B
      BA 35 days ago

      To be fair double banking or just to make it lineout maul obstruction is far more grey area and more regular in occurrence throughout a match than bobbled groundings…he wasn’t arguing the decision he was talking challenges of being in box and how u can effect what’s happening on field with cameras on u, it’s the Journo headline that implies he is

      R
      Red and White Dynamight 35 days ago

      Taylor try was TMO reviewed and also analysed by Supersport onfield pundits V.Matfield and J.Marshall at HT. Bongi try was not TMO reviewed nor was it even mentioned let alone analysed by the supersport Host, or the pundits at HT. Everyone knows the ‘fix’ is in in SA across all the Bok commercial partners @ Supersport and stadiums (esp Ellis Park who were sanctioned by WR 10yrs previous ref P.Lambie winning kick). Is this your version of “being honest” ? laughable from the cheaters.

      C
      CO 35 days ago

      C'mon mate, a clear knock on should never have been awarded a try no matter what excuse you use to justify it.

      S
      SB 35 days ago

      Absolutely! I recall that double banking vividly, I shouted loudly jumping up from my coach. We knew then that Brace would be a disgrace for the rest of the match.

      F
      FW 36 days ago

      Get the fk over it. How many blind tries were the all blacks awarded over the years. Jesus you guys are childish

      N
      NK 36 days ago

      It was a try (Bongi's knock-on try) in the same way that Mark T'elea's pass to Beauden Barrett was in that Rugby World Cup final. T'elea lost the ball forward (knock-on) to Barrett who picked it up and scored a try. Should have been similarly referred upstairs, but wasn't (which makes it stand to this day). Razor needs to take a chill pill (relax) and map the way forward for his AB team. For he knows, he will be shown the door if he doesn't win anything substantive or tangible this year. The New Zealanders are notoriously impatient with coaches who always come with a bag full of excuses for losing key, defining test matches.

      J
      JW 35 days ago

      Tele’a passed the ball, so it’s allowed to travel towards the goal line. Bongi was not trying to loose contact with the ball, so it’s not allowed to go forward at all.

      R
      Richard Robberts 36 days ago

      Wow, I feel so sorry for the Robinsons pathetic claim. Let me ask you this..for how many years did did Richy Mcaw get away with his brilliant off side game and negative play,

      J
      JW 35 days ago

      Richie was a faultless angel, get out of here with your accusations!

      T
      TokoRFC 36 days ago

      A message on behalf of all of New Zealanders to all South Africans:


      Please ignore Ben Smiths cheap wind ups, we’re all wasting our time here.

      R
      Red and White Dynamight 31 days ago

      Ben Smith is bang on, speak for noone but yourself.

      H
      Hammer Head 36 days ago

      On behalf of all South Africans - thank you. We all appreciate it.


      We really should take a leaf from your book and be kinder and stop being horrible to a whole group of people just because of how they all behave.

      I
      IkeaBoy 36 days ago

      I’m surprised that no one has yet decided to change their profile name to ‘Ben Smith’…


      Posting under his own articles could get very funny.

      B
      BM 36 days ago

      BS writing BS as always. Ball was dislodged from Bongi from a Barrett knock on in the tackle, ball went straight down in any event - try stands. Thank you and stop crying losers.

      S
      SC 36 days ago

      Simple, the ref, tmo, match officials didn’t want to incur the wrath of rassie “ the lord almighty” erasmus.

      H
      Hammer Head 36 days ago

      Lol. Thats cute.

      B
      BM 36 days ago

      In your head……..

      R
      RK 36 days ago

      Nah that’s Scott Overrated Robertson and whinging Kiwis

      H
      Hammer Head 36 days ago

      Can’t wait for Eden Park and Wellington.

      B
      BigGabe 36 days ago

      Springbok rugby still living rent-free in Ben Smith’s head I see.

      H
      Hammer Head 36 days ago

      Squatting

      J
      JG 36 days ago

      Oh my word, for how long are they still going to keep bleating about that try.

      The match officials DID explain it at the time, ruling that the ball was knocked out of Bongi’s hand by a NZ player. The ball went straight down (not forward) and Bongi fell on it, thus resulting in the try being awarded.

      So it is disingenuous of Robertson to say that it wasn’t checked. If the match officials are confident in their decision, based on what they saw, then they don’t usually go to the TMO - even if requested.

      Or else they’ll be going upstairs for virtually every try scored in a match.

      Seriously, the Kiwis must now get over themselves. Every time they lose a match by a narrow margin, they find something to go on and on about. It’s almost as if they believe that other teams are “not allowed” to beat them.

      Mind you, I think that dates back to a few years earlier when it seemed like the All Blacks were untouchable in the eyes of the match officials at the time.

      Maybe Robertson still thinks that is the case nowadays. He hasn’t received the memo about the ABs no longer being unfairly “protected” by match officials.

      Let’s face it - there was a time, not too long ago, where players from other teams were almost too afraid to touch or tackle a New Zealand player, for fear of incurring the referee's wrath.

      And also, around the same time, NZ captain Richie McCaw was the “golden boy” amongst match officials and even amongst the big brass at the (then) IRB (now World Rugby).

      Dont get me wrong, I’m an admirer of McCaw as a player and captain - I think he was great. And I will ALWAYS regard the All Blacks as a great Rugby team.

      BUT let’s just be realistic, the New Zealand Rugby fraternity do tend to have this rather large sense of entitlement when it comes to test matches won or lost.

      They expect other teams to accept it whenever a dubious decision goes the All Blacks’ way in a game.

      BUT they don’t seem willing to do the same.

      They'll routinely congratulate their opponents when they lose a match, but will then (for months, or even years afterwards), continue to bleat and “bitch” about a decision or incident that occurred in that match, trying to play the “victim” that was hard-done-by.

      Perhaps it’s time for all involved in NZ Rugby to realize and accept that NO team should expect to have the right to always be “protected” or “favoured” in every match they play in.


      Come on Scott Robertson, quit sinking to the low levels of some of your predecessors who, annoyingly, believed that the All Blacks have some divine, inalienable right to win every match they play.

      B
      BH 36 days ago

      I don’t think you know many New Zealand fans based on your anecdotes. And typing things in ALL CAPS does not emphasise your point. Don’t forget that the Boks coach made an hour long video ranting about the refereeing in the Lions series which is one of the worst things to happen in rugby history, it invalidates yours and every other whining Boks fans’ entire perspective about refereeing and nobody will ever forget it.

      W
      Wiseguy 36 days ago

      You totally invalidated your own argument. Move on. Maybe come back when Razor starts posting videos on social media.

      H
      Hammer Head 36 days ago

      Forever

      M
      MM 36 days ago

      Rassie’s video rant about Berry?

      Don’t make me laugh!!

      M
      MM 36 days ago

      So the Boks never bring up about the ref in their QFinal in RWC 2011 then??

      Pot, kettle etc…..

      J
      JW 37 days ago

      What is this mumbo jumbo BS


      Whens part two “Dmac staunchly waits at half way for the replay to show again on the big screen” coming?

      J
      Jacque 37 days ago

      Whats the point?

      H
      Hammer Head 36 days ago

      Clicks

      M
      MM 36 days ago

      In the full interview Marshall asks him about has he ever lost the plot in the coaches box and this incident he said caused him to lose it. He was mega frustrated that Scott Barrett couldn’t get his point across to the officials before DMac had to kick off!

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      Jfp123 4 minutes ago
      Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

      It will be great if Jalibert improves in defence, but unless and until he improves substantially, I think he should be out of the running for the national team. If you look at the French A side, attack is not usually so much of a problem - they scored 200 points in the last 6 nations without MJ on the pitch. Defence however can be an issue, Penaud isn’t the greatest in that area for a start. So a 10 who is solid in defence is badly needed. And given his poor defence record, MJ would be bound to be targeted by shrewd coaches like Rassi and Razor, so he needs to be able to withstand that.

      Also, given sufficient improvement in defence, there are still factors which tell against MJ. I think the 7/1 bench has been a very successful experiment, and for that you need flexible backs who can play in more than one position in case of injury. Then there’s how well the 10 plays with France’s best 9, Dupont. And even if you think MJ is better when there’s no Dupont or 7/1 split, stability in a test team is important, so it’s better not to go chopping and changing the 10 needlessly. There’s also the question of temperament - MJ doesn’t shine at his brightest when it really matters, eg WC quarters and Top14 finals, and look at his test record over the past 2 years.

      I see Ntamack as by far the best option at 10. Rugby is a team game, and apart from his excellent defence, there’s his partnership with Dupont, his versatility, and all the other skills that go to making a great team player and a great 10. He’s excellent under the high ball, an area where France tend to have a weakness, and has fine strategic and team management skills, great handling skills and so on.

      While having star quality is important, it’s not the be all and end all, as illustrated by UBB this season. Imo, though undoubtedly very good, they underperformed. With best wings, best 9, as Dupont barely played in the Top14, with Jalibert and leading centres and 15, plus a strengthened forward pack, they couldn’t match ST in points scored, despite the latter’s huge injury list which left some positions seriously weakened, at least on paper.

      For next season, I hope ST are back to their scintillating best with injuries healed, that LBB is back to rude health for UBB, that the exciting promise of La Rochelle’s and Toulon’s new recruits bears fruit, Bayonne continue to defy their budget and we have a cracking, highly competitive Top14 and Les Bleus triumphant in the autumn internationals and six nations!

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