Mark Telea of New Zealand. Rugby World Cup France 2023, New Zealand All Blacks v South Africa FInal match at Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France on Saturday 29 October 2023. Photo credit: Federico Pestellini / Panoramic / www.photosport.nz
Did Referees ruin the Rugby World Cup?
Congratulations to the Springboks on winning the Rugby World Cup 2023 without a try and by the narrowest of margins possible.
Commiserations with rugby supporters and fans all over the world for the way English officiating ruined the contest. Wayne Barnes, with form from 2007, missed multiple ruck infringements against the South Africans for most of the first half. Tom Foley, the TMO, destroyed any chance of continuity in the game with incessant fault-finding of the All Blacks, including ruling out the first try.
What about Foley’s inconsistency on Sam Cane’s and Siya Kolisi’s yellow cards? Shoulder to head: one red, the other yellow. Really? World Rugby needs to clean up this frustration, which is destroying enjoyment of the game and turning players and supporters away. Bill Beaumont, please take notice or move on.
Congratulations to Fozzie, Sam and the team for producing a spirited fight while down a man or two. Pride in the All Blacks has been restored.
Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour.
Ref Inconsistency
I think the final demonstrated two of the prime weak points of world rugby.
Firstly, the inconsistency of the officials: how Sam Cane’s yellow could be upgraded to red when Siya Kolisi’s wasn’t, when both clearly involved reckless contact with the head.
Secondly, the involvement of the TMO in matters other than foul play or when requested by the referee, as in the disallowing of Aaron Smith’s try because of a knock-on beforehand. The referee ruled no knock-on, and the tens of millions of TV viewers all clearly heard him say so, and he awarded the try.
Yet the TMO just ignored the referee and carried on searching for a knock-on, thereby forcing the referee to overrule himself.
If World Rugby were inclined to utilise a bigger team of TMOs, all watching the game in slow motion, searching for something, anything, in everything, then they could ensure themselves of killing the game more quickly than the slow way they are currently doing it.
All that said, the All Blacks had their chances to win, and didn’t take them.
Phil Chitty, Albany.
“Hand of God” Maradona moment.
Totally inconsistent TMO decisions spoiled the game. The Kolisi card staying yellow was a “Hand of God” moment Maradona would have been proud of! This was a good day for South Africa but a very bad day for rugby. The ABs and coaches should hold their heads high.
Philip Jenkins, Kerikeri.
Springboks Praise
Springboks could now be known as One Point Wonders. Their three playoff matches were all won by just one point. France 28, Springboks 29. England 15, Springboks 16,
All Blacks 11, Springboks 12. A spooky spell cast on RWC?
Colleen Wright, Botany Downs.
Election Results
Is there any other country in the world with a small population like ours which takes weeks to sort out its electoral result?
In an age of easy communication and secure digital platforms, election results should be determined in a day, or not much longer. The Electoral Commission seems to have tied itself up in bureaucratic red tape either of its own design or imposed on it by Government.
During the delay, the entities created by the past but still-governing group continue with policies designed to be scrapped by the incoming Government.
Monty Python and Yes Minister between them could not have come up with such a ridiculous scenario.
Trish Jenner, Bayswater.
National’s Government
It’s been an interesting read of letters over this past week; those reacting to the elections and its move to right-of-centre politics. One only has to look at the one-million-odd who did not vote to gain some knowledge as to how this happened.
Those who are in need of a socially responsible government, those who are bereft, struggling to exist, desperate for help and some assistance, did not see the point in voting, it seems. That is a calamity and one that should have been picked up by the Labour Party. But it wasn’t.
Consequently, big changes are afoot even though the final summing up of votes and the forming of a constitutional government is still to happen, because we were aware of what National and Act offered. It is more than obvious those in great need are of little concern to them, with the view instead being to maintain and enrich those already successful. At no time in the past 50 years has the National Party ever shown or understood social deprivation and its inevitable impact on society at large. Create an underdog and it will come up and bite you hard where you least want it to.
But the biggest disappointment for our planet and for those who want to live safely upon it in years to come will be the decline of climate measures, those in place and those not even being considered. That setback may not be retrievable nor appreciated by those who will be left to face the consequences.
Emma Mackintosh, Birkenhead.
Mayor and Auckland Transport
I agree with Roger Hawkins (Herald, October 27) when he asks where is Mayor Brown regarding his campaign promise to “rein in Auckland Transport”. They are still carrying on as before with their anti-car policies and wastefully spending millions of dollars on unnecessary raised pedestrian crossings on main roads and then adding expensive traffic lights to many of these crossings.
Ken Graham, Greenlane.
Ardern’s Legacy
Samantha Cunningham (Weekend Herald, October 28) eulogises Jacinda Ardern as being a “beacon of hope who inspired hundreds of thousands of young women around the world”. She bemoans the fact our political leadership is “back to boring men in suits”.
Conversely I, my family and vast majority of our friends view her legacy as a leader who departed, leaving a significantly racially-divided country, when the kitchen simply became too hot from all her broken promises and deceit.
The fact that Ardern did not feature in the recent election on behalf of Labour suggests many people of various political persuasions consider her in a similar light.
Murray Brown, Hamilton East.
Ardern’s Approach
Well said Samantha Cunningham on the effect Jacinda Ardern’s empathetic approach to all people, regardless of faith, ethnicity, gender or station in life has left.
As I read the detractors’ comments about her leadership as PM, I think to myself how many of these people can look in the mirror each morning and think, “what can I do today to improve the lives of all my fellow Kiwis, (and, what did I do yesterday), or implement measures to keep our immigrant brothers and sisters safe from terrorism, perhaps introduce legislation to avoid the ravages of climate change and then, after lunch, see what comes up next?”. The only thing Samantha got wrong is that Jacinda is not only a beacon of hope for women, she is admired worldwide by women and men for her efforts to make our world a better place to live in. It will be a long time before we see her like again.
Jeremy Coleman, Hillpark.
Pharmac
Pharmac’s wet bus ticket action in respect to the absolutely broken culture demonstrated by their internal emails in respect to Rachel Smalley is a national disgrace. Both chief executive Sarah Fitt and chair Steve Maharey should have immediately resigned or been removed.
The reputation of all public service agencies of government has been severely damaged by this matter.
Hopefully the new Government will sort things out and insist on proper accountability.
Doug Armstrong, Glendowie.
Smell the roses
I respond to Alan Tomlinson’s complaining letter about judder bars in Herne Bay (Weekend Herald, October 28).
I don’t know how long he has been living in Herne Bay, but my family have been living in Sarsfield Street for over 40 years. It became a rat run, a raceway, with speeds more than 80km/h not unusual.
There have been several pedestrian deaths and serious injuries. A young school child was killed in Argyle street by a speeding motorist some years ago, to name but one. Auckland Transport had consultation over this, to develop a calming process. There was initially some uncertainty as to its effectiveness. It has been a resounding success.
I suggest Tomlinson just slow down and smell the roses.
Gary Gotlieb, Herne Bay.
He was caught trying to trade gift vouchers for sex with a 14yo, police say.