The All Blacks have lodged a complaint with World Rugby over the refereeing of the 2023 Rugby World Cup final, which they lost 12-11 to South Africa.
All Blacks head coach Ian Foster said they were unhappy with a number of decisions made by referee Wayne Barnes and his team, notably the sending off of Sam Cain for a dangerous scoop on Jesse Kriel.
“We have submitted a paper to World Rugby asking them to make some comments,” Foster said.
Foster said he thought Barnes and his team had generally performed well in a tough game, but that some of the referee’s technical penalties had left them dissatisfied.
“I think the general consensus was that the refereeing crew did a great job, but there were some technical calls that left us a little disappointed,” he said.
Foster added that he felt the game was full of undercards but Barnes had no choice in the matter.
“It was a very close game and a lot of cards were dealt but I don’t think the referee had any choice,” he said.
Meanwhile, World Rugby president Sir Bill Beaumont paid tribute to Wayne Barnes, who today announced his resignation as match referee to focus on a new career.
Barnes’ refereeing career spanned 17 years and saw him referee 111 Test matches, five Rugby World Cups and countless domestic and European finals.
“Wayne Barnes is one of the greatest referees of all time,” said Beaumont.
“He has refereed at the highest level of the game with distinction and integrity and his contribution to the game has been immense.
“We wish Wayne all the best in his future endeavors.
It is unclear what the outcome of the All Blacks’ complaint will be, but it is likely that World Rugby will conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.