HEARTBREAK
Laidlaw hits out at ref as Scotland are denied semis spot
BROKEN-HEARTED Scotland captain Greig Laidlaw last night rounded on runaway referee Craig Joubert for robbing his team of a place in the Rugby World Cup semi-finals.
Joubert awarded Australia a controversial penalty in the dying moments of an engrossing quarter-final at Twickenham, which Bernard Foley kicked to secure a 35-34 win.
The 79th-minute penalty was awarded because Joubert incorrectly judged Scotland’s Jon Welsh to be offside when catching the ball. Big-screen replays showed Australia’s Nick Phipps got the final touch before Welsh was penalised.
The Australian later admitted that he intended to play the ball, rendering Joubert’s decision incorrect.
The referee bolted for the tunnel as he sounded the final whistle, leaving behind a furious group of Scotland players.
An angry Laidlaw, who had tried to remonstrate with the South African, said: ‘I didn’t get a chance to say anything because he was off that quick. They’ve got the TMO
(Television Match Official) for everything else, it’s such a big decision, so why would you not get the TMO for that? ‘From where I was, I think it was Phipps jumped and, to me, it looked like it hit him and our player caught it. ‘Josh Strauss was in there, it was a loose ball. ‘I thought there was an Aussie arm but we’re not the type of people to blame little things. If we had tightened up in some other areas we might not have been in that situation.’ World Rugby regulations mean that the referee, who was pelted with a plastic bottle near the tunnel as he made his way off, could not in fact consult the TMO, but he could have referred to his linesman for assistance if there was any doubt. ‘We were one kick away from being in the semi-finals and arguably we should have been,’ continued a distraught Laidlaw. ‘I asked him (the referee) about the penalty on several occasions. But I don’t know what the protocols are or not. ‘He took his time. By the way he was looking at the big screen, he wasn’t sure himself.’ Former players blasted the decision on social media, with Scottish lock Jim Hamilton tweeting: ‘Just seen the replay of
the last penalty. Absolutely disgraceful. Robbed!’ Scottish former Lions captain Gavin Hastings slammed the official for ‘letting the game down’, describing the controversial end to Scotland’s campaign as ‘despicable’. ‘It’s a tragedy for Scotland,’ said Hastings. ‘It’s a bit of a tragedy for rugby. If I see Craig Joubert again, I’m going to tell him how disgusted I am. It was disgraceful that he ran straight off the pitch like that. ‘This is the quarter-final of a World Cup and they have to get these decisions right.’ Retired England scrum-half Austin Healy also sided with Scotland, saying: ‘Never a penalty, never. Totally robbed.’ Welsh, the Scottish replacement penalised for picking up the ball after Joubert ruled a knock-on by the Scots, tweeted: ‘I’m gutted for everyone. I feel it was the wrong decision.’ Phipps himself said after the game: ‘I think everyone was trying to win the ball. We were all going for it.’ The Scots were particularly aggrieved not only by the late penalty call, but by a hit on Stuart Hogg shortly before — and an early decision to show Sean Maitland a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on, when he was trying to intercept a pass. Head coach Vern Cotter refused to criticise the referee but said: ‘We’ll take time to review that end of the game properly before we pass comment. We will take the emotion away. Most of the questions are about the referee. Once again, I’m not in the ref or touch judges’ position. ‘Sean, if he had caught that ball, would probably have scored. He was thinking ahead. It was a 50-50. ‘I feel for these guys. Tough, tough day. We use clichés, fine margins. But they stayed in the game, believed and fought to the end. I’m proud of them as men and as rugby players. ‘At times, we didn’t know what we were doing during the week, because of the suspensions to Jonny Gray and Ross Ford. Credit to these guys, they practised and prepared. I thought the boys fronted up physically. We managed to vary our game and keep them under pressure. ‘It’s always tough coming out of this game. Give it a day or so. ‘We had a plan, we implemented it. And these players showed character and commitment, hit rucks and did simple things well.’ Aussie head coach Michael Cheika, asked about the winning penalty, said: ‘As long as rugby has been around, that’s what it is. You’ve got to live with the ones you get and the ones you don’t. ‘Usually if you kick a goal with a minute to win, it’s a pretty good escape. But five tries scored in the quarter-final of a World Cup, you expect to be somewhere near the winning end of a game.’ Praising Scotland’s incredible display, however, he said: ‘I knew the game was going to be tight. I was under no illusions. You are only going to see that Scotland team improve because of the people that are involved, good people.’