What has Australian referee Angus Gardner got to say about his Bledisloe blunder?

He could hardly do anything else, when the television audience have seen the blunder.

But Australian referee Angus Gardner has owned up to the mistake which cost the Wallabies dearly in the first Bledisloe Cup test in Wellington.

Gardner, who will control Sunday’s second encounter at Eden Park, was the linesman who missed All Black centre Rieko Ioane nudging the touchline in the lead-up to Jordie Barrett’s try.

“It was just a genuine miss – something it happens at that speed. Obviously I put my hand up for it,” Gardner told Gold AM’s Country Sport Breakfast.

The Aotearoa Rugby Pod discuss who they have picked for the Healthspan Elite Performance of the Week from the first Bledisloe test between the All Blacks and the Wallabies.

The Aotearoa Rugby Pod discuss who they have picked for the Healthspan Elite Performance of the Week from the first Bledisloe test between the All Blacks and the Wallabies.

Replays clearly showed Ioane was out but the try stood as the All Blacks and Wallabies played out a drawn match.

Gardner was downplaying any pressure.

“We’re there to referee the game whether it’s the All Blacks or the Wallabies or Wellington or Otago or Chiefs versus Crusaders… our job’s just the game, it shouldn’t matter who the two teams are,” he said.

Kiwis Paul Williams – the referee in Wellington – and Ben O’Keeffe will be Gardner’s assistants on Sunday.