New Zealand referees' boss Bryce Lawrence has confirmed the decision to yellow card Jordie Barrett and award a penalty try after the Hurricanes' player's attempted intercept against the Blues was ruled a deliberate knock-on was the correct call under World Rugby's laws.
With the game in Wellington last night in the balance at 17-15 in favour of the Blues, and the Hurricanes already playing with 13 men following the red card to prop Tyrel Lomax and yellow card to loose forward Vaea Fifita, referee Mike Fraser made the dramatic 73rd-minute decision much to the displeasure of the local crowd. The seven points allowed the Blues to hold on for an historic 24-15 victory.
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"What a joke," injured Hurricanes and All Blacks loose forward Ardie Savea tweeted – either at Fraser's decision or the overall state his team were in.