The Breakdown, 18 September 2022

It's all happening on the Breakdown this week as the crew looks back at one of the most memorable Bledisloe Cup clashes in history and much more!

CREDIT: Sky Sport NZ

[taitura]

Its a lesson to be learned. No more TIME WASTING as some players normally does. The Ref is right.

[fossilmatic]

Refs quite consistently warn players about infringing play and then penalise them if they do not comply. The big issue here for the aggrieved is that they subsequently lost the game. He was clearly taking more time than he needed to, he was warned, he pushed it, he got pinged. No excuses.

[kainoizking]

Golden rules of rugby: play to the whistle, follow the refs instructions. They’re overcomplicating it. If the ref warns you to use it, stops the clock to warn you, puts time back on and then warns you again, then the outcome of that is all on the players, not the ref.

[Driver]

The Aussies were their own worst enemies in this game. Swain should have gone on a red (and should now be gone for the next 12 months). Too much debate now on the time wasting issue. Foley really messed up big time and as a consequence lost possession (had possession cheaply taken from him by the Referee - quite right too). The Ref won't ever get to do a WC Final, even though he's the one that showed some iron and correctly made the tough decision.

[godisbollocks]

Damn, Laura McGoldrick just gets better with age. What a stunner

[k.o.t.h]

Sorry Jeff, but it was absolutely the right time to make this call, in the dying stages when the game was in the balance...kudos to the ref for having the brass to call it.

[simonadams]

25:49 Exactly right - what all the blowharding about the ref misses is that the Wallabies WEREN'T the better team on the night. If you want to open up the discussion on the (really poor) final decision, let's look at all the rest (forward pass, no arms tackle, infringements at the breakdown, etc., etc). If he gets those right - no way they are even in the game at the end to begin with.

[actiaint]

Great comments from Mehrts, especially favouring the attacking team...

[ShudupDaMouth]

There’s no need to ref this consistently because we need to take it in to context Raynal said it perfectly after the game what Foley and White tried to do was unfair and they tested the ref and forced the ref to make a call which he made

[robertbaldwin]

The decision did not hand the win. Winning the scrum and scoring the try got the AB's over the line

[charleschurch]

I thought that the Australians were cheated out of a possible win. However, the Australian team's poor behaviour of wasting time and trying to milk decisions by acting injured in this game and previous games has come back to bite them in the behind. You reap what you sow.

[sollyharr]

I was at the game and the Aussies were buggering around the whole game...everyone in the crowd was relived when he blew the half time whistle it was such a frustrating joke...the All Blacks wanted to play you could see clearly, while the Aussies were too desperate for the win and finally the ref got sick of it and that was that...but we all could see even from up in opposite stand Foley was stuffing about...and I can guarantee you half the crowd left laughing their asses off...that's the facts...

[michaelross]

May I suggest you review the whole game and see if the referee had previously warned Foley. I spotted two previous occasions in that test. And where is the discussion about Foley ignoring the instructions of the referee? That sort of attitude needs to be stopped, no matter what team, or when in a match. Some teams are disciplined, others arrogant, trying to take control away from the referee. This is NOT a rule issue. It is a behavioural issue.

[PJSO]

Disagree here. It was Foley's fault and his teammates knew it, we all know it.

[greglomas]

Everyone is missing the fact that Aussie still had a chance to defend their line and failed to. It was a scrum not a penalty to win the game. The abs still had to earn the win from the set piece.

[tonyshi]

It is Foley's fault, Sir John Kirwan. He was told the ref's interpretation, repeatedly. His team mates were screaming for him to kick the ball. Still, he mucked around. I agree that the ref didn't have to blow the whistle. But he did. Move on.

[naatovo]

It was 100% the right time and call. If it was 10 mins in he probs wulda let it go but at the dying stages of the game was right. Plus wallabies had a chance to defend for the win. was not like it was a penalty try.

[connorrice]

The hidden important part is that our outside backs have been struggling with defensive patterns. Ive watched Caleb Clarke and Will Jordan now miss multiple important tackles. Havili is small at his positions and bigger 12s feel like they have physical dominance over him. Rieko has made some fantastic tackles, but he does consistently put himself in position to have to make miracle tackles with his speed. Conrad Smith was 80% as quick as Rieko but always put himself in the right position to make tackles.

What has Sevu Reece done to lose his spot?! Hes a great defender, big hits and excellent over the ball. Lienart Brown and Goodhue are both great defenders but have struggled with injury, who knows if they'll be there at the WC? Backline defense needs to improve!

I would go Jordie at 12 this week, with Will Jordan at Fullback, Faingaanuku and Reece on the wings and Beauden and RTS on the bench but give them 25-30 minutes

[scorpio]

Can't get enough of JK he just loves whining up Goldie and Mil's becomes the peacemaker. And Laura presenting the show is a positive although it's temporary. She is so refreshing and very professional hope she gets more time with the panel. But JK always takes the cake ❤️👍🏾

[Sila-tl]

It was loud and clear, ref said time start and Foley was holding on to the Ball, "never mind if that kind of decision it never happened before", when "time on" called by a ref you should already know what decision to make, cause here's a thing "You Can Not Waste Time on Making Decision Just To Win a Game", cause if a team want to win a game they will have to play till the Clock is Red with the Ref Blow the Last Whistle. But the Ausie still have the chance of winning after that controversial, cause they just need to keep up their defense and run down till the clock is red. But they mashed up that chance. Lesson Learnt. They've played a good game. Love from fiji to both Ausie and NZ for next game.