DARK ARTS OF AN ALL BLACK
Scots call out Read over his ‘cynicism’
THE jury was unanimous in i ts verdict. Yesterday, on social media, of course, All Blacks captain Kieran Read was found guilty of indulging in the so- called ‘ dark arts’ as Scotland scented a historic victory.
It went unnoticed at the time by many — including the referee, unfortunately — but as Jonny Gray picked up and headed towards the try-line, the ball was illegally slapped out of his hands by Read as the Kiwi No 8 lay on the ground.
The controversial incident came eight minutes from the end of a truly compelling contest. Scotland were trailing 22-10, but were camped on New Zealand’s five-metre line. The All Blacks already had Wyatt Crockett in the sin bin and Scotland were playing a penalty advantage.
The world champions, as is their wont, were determined not to let their hosts cross the try-line. By any means necessary, as it transpired.
As Gray picked up, it looked like a certain try was on the cards. Until Read intervened.
But even as the ball went loose, Jamie Bhatti picked up to go over. Cue celebrations in the stand and on the pitch. But English referee Matthew Carley, rather than awarding the try or giving a yellow card to Read, ruled that it was Gray who had ‘lost control’.
Scotland would go over before the end, through Huw Jones, but precious time had been lost.
Two days later, as the Scots regrouped and began to look ahead to the visit of Australia this Saturday, there was still a feeling of injustice.
And Scotland assistant head coach Dan McFarland made clear his thoughts about the incident.
‘A yellow card, quite possibly a try, quite possibly a penalty try,’ he insisted.
And when asked about Read’s behaviour, he continued: ‘That’s just cynical, isn’t it? They’re an extremely competitive side and everybody in world rugby knows that when you get the ball into their 22, the last thing they want to do is concede a try. That’s how they play.
‘The All Blacks are very clever and streetwise. They’re a really good team who make good decisions and that’s an element of the game that we’re looking to improve.
‘I’d say that they’re the best team in the world at it and the rest of us are getting there, so to speak.
‘Nobody wants to give away tries, but defending hard — within the l aws — i s the way that we’ll approach it
‘It is what it is, though. These things sometimes go f or you and, sometimes, go against you.
‘It’s a difficult job making those kinds of decisions in front of 67,000 people where everybody wants the game to go on, as well.’
Scotland prop Bhatti, for one, believes his touchdown would have changed the game if it had stood.
‘The ball came squirting out from Jonny’s hands and I picked it up, but, as I picked it up to go over, the whistle went, so I didn’t celebrate,’ said Bhatti.
‘I have seen the incident back. I am not a ref, but I would say it should be play on.
‘I never saw the slap at the time. I reacted, picked the ball up and the sticks were there, so that was it.
‘It would have been my first try. I have not scored for Glasgow, so imagine that — my first score for Scotland would have been against the All Blacks.’
I ndeed, a f i r st t r y against t he world champions would have merely added to Bhatti’s remarkable rise.
The 23-year-old is in line to start against Australia at the weekend if Darryl Marfo fails a fitness test on his injured knee.
It’s far cry from three years ago, when the man from Stirling was on the brink of quitting the game.
‘There was a time when I was playing for Stirling County that I thought the pro thing had passed me by,’ said Bhatti.
‘I was working in a meat factory and I would do anything to get out of there. I didn’t want to be there for the rest of my days.
‘Anything would have done. I didn’t want to have to go back and do the manual labour, get up at half five in the morning, driving into your work.
‘I was looking at other careers and I applied for the police. I passed the fitness test, I passed the written test and then it came to the formal interview and I made a mess of it.
‘I just froze. There were two of them in front of me in suits firing the questions and I just panicked. It was all a bit formal and I had the suit and tie on.
‘Looking back, it was maybe a godsend I didn’t get it. If I got into the police, I would have stepped away from rugby.’
And Bhatti said he will sit down after the game against the Aussies to consider how his career has suddenly burst into life.
‘I’ll reflect on it then,’ said the loosehead prop. ‘I was saying to Dan McFarland in the changing room before my first cap against Samoa that, in April this year, I was in the same changing room at Murrayfield playing for Melrose against Ayr. Six months later, I’m in there again winning my first Scotland cap.
‘To be honest, if you had told me a year ago, when I was sitting in the stands watching Scotland play Australia and Argentina in the autumn Test series, that I would be running out on the pitch and singing the anthem myself 12 months later, I would not have believed you. I’m just trying to stay calm and do my stuff.’