All Blacks v South Africa: The biggest talking points from the Rugby World Cup final - Phil Gifford

OPINION

The unknown men who made the key decisions in South Africa’s 12-11 victory, and three other talking points from the Rugby World Cup final.

Blame the faceless men

Don’t blame Wayne Barnes. Don’t blame television match official Tom Foley.

If you’re unhappy with how crucial decisions about red cards in the World Cup final were made, look to World Rugby and two anonymous men called foul play review officer one and foul play review officer two.

Recently brought into the sport by World Rugby, they have eight minutes to make a decision on whether a yellow card should be upgraded to a red. If officer one and officer two disagree, officer one has the final say.

Unlike the rest of the officiating team, they don’t get named by World Rugby, so we don’t know who ruled that Springboks captain Siya Kolisi’s head clash with Ardie Savea didn’t merit a red card, while Sam Cane’s, when he tackled Jesse Kriel, did.

Referee Barnes and TMO Foley had no say in what the men in the shadows decided.

Cane’s card, as he had the grace and courage to admit, was sadly the correct ruling. But how on Earth Kolisi avoided a red card and didn’t miss all of the last 29 minutes of the game will forever be a World Cup mystery.

Take a cue from Sam

Cane, who I’d place in a special circle with the likes of Sir Brian Lochore as one of the most impressive people I’ve met in rugby, swallowed the heartache the whole team felt and was generous in his congratulations to the Springboks. As tough as it feels now, so should all of us.

Because although, through Kiwi eyes, the Shannon Frizell yellow card looked ridiculous, the effect of it, putting hooker Bongi Mbonambi on the sideline with a damaged leg, left the Boks hugely vulnerable at the lineout.

The result was that the All Blacks had a tonne of ball, and South Africa had to make two tonnes of tackles. As all of us expected, tries weren’t at the front of the Springboks’ minds, but with Handre Pollard kicking penalties, as always, like a machine, it was their fierce tackling that won the game.

It’s tough to handle now, but the green line the All Blacks faced in Paris was brave, tough and expert with regard to technicality.

It wasn’t pretty, but if we cast our minds back to 2011, it was courageous defence, not scintillating attack, that won the All Blacks the title at Eden Park by one point against France. And how much did we all love that victory?

Shannon Frizell was sent to the sin bin just two minutes into the Rugby World Cup final. Photo / Photosport

Dreams don’t always come true

In rugby, as in all sport, nothing beats a good redemption story.

Seeing the 2011 All Blacks come back from 2007 quarter-final ignominy, and the public ridicule that sparked, was a tale for the ages.

Where do the 2023 All Blacks, who were mercilessly pilloried from the time they lost back-to-back tests with Australia and Argentina in 2020, stand in the recovery stakes?

Like Rocky Balboa in the first of the Hollywood movie series, they didn’t win the title, but I’d suggest their rise to being within one successful kick of a World Cup triumph is still a remarkable saga.

In the process of reaching the final, they dragged themselves back from the brink after a first-round loss, slew the Irish dragon, played some terrific attacking rugby and introduced stars for the future, like Mark Tele’a and Tamaiti Williams.

Now there won’t be parades, and there won’t be knighthoods, but Ian Foster, his coaching staff and the players have carved a sad but courageous place in All Blacks history.

All Blacks of the tournament

If he’d been able to lead his team for a full 80 minutes in the final, Cane would have flown into this group, but from the start against France to the sound of the final whistle against South Africa, two stand out.

One has to be Ardie Savea; sunny-natured off the pitch, but grimly, endlessly determined on it. The other is Jordie Barrett, whose development into one of the best second-fives in the world has been impressive.

The best news about the youngest Barrett is that he’ll be 30 when the next Cup is held in Australia in 2027. That’s three years younger than our greatest second five Ma’a Nonu was when he played his last test in the 2015 Cup final.

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