Following a fiercely contested rugby encounter where South Africa emerged as the triumphant team, Sir Clive Woodward, with a keen eye on the game’s dynamics, raises a critical point.
Despite the victory, he contends that Sam Cane, the captain of the All Blacks, should not have been shown a red card.
This incident exemplifies a larger issue plaguing the sport—head contact decisions have thrown rugby into a state of disarray, ultimately leaving the players as the unfortunate victims of the ongoing turmoil
Woodward, writing in the Mail Online, began: “I realise I’m in the minority when I say this, but I don’t think he should have been sent off. I feel really sorry for Cane.
“My opinion is that rugby has got itself into such a mess with head contact decisions. The real losers are players like Cane, who is a role model professional, captain of the All Blacks, and was playing in the biggest game of his life. Frankly, he did not deserve this.
“As things stand under the current rules, if a player makes head-on-head contact with an opposition player and there is no mitigation, it is almost certain they will be sent off.”
He continued: “The big reason for this is to protect player welfare, which of course I support.
“But those who have played and coached at the highest level will understand how quickly some of these incidents take place. In many instances, they happen so fast a player doesn’t have time to react.
“For example, I didn’t think England’s Tom Curry should have been sent off against Argentina for a similar incident at the start of the tournament.
“It was also ironic the player hit by Cane was South African centre Kriel, because he escaped any card for a similar clash against Scotland. If Kriel had been sent off then, South Africa’s World Cup might have looked very different.”
Day jobs of the 2023 Rugby World Cup referee’s:
#1. Ben O’Keeffe
Age: 34
Nationality: New Zealand
Occupation: Eye Doctor
One of New Zealand’s six full-time referees, O’Keeffe is also a qualified doctor specialising in ophthalmology, which deals with eye health and disease.
Ben O’Keeffe facts:
O’Keeffe became an amateur referee for the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) in 2013 having started officiating in 2008 at the age of 19
He grew up in Blenheim, New Zealand and attended Marlborough Boys’ College where he was head boy in 2006.
O’Keeffe’s brother, Michael O’Keeffe, represented New Zealand at the 2012 London Olympics in football
Ben O’Keeffe toughest player to referee: Ma’a Nonu
O’Keeffe said: “I think like Ma’a Nonu, yeah he was pretty tough. I’ve noticed over the last few years that players are just a lot bigger, a lot faster and a lot stronger.
“I trained with the Highlanders pre-season one year and you get a real appreciation of how big, fit and hard they hit. That just remind me why I just I love refereeing – so I don’t have to take those big hits.”