Rugby Referee Analysis: Mathieu Raynal | Springboks vs All Blacks Rugby Championship 2023

Who could've guessed that a combination of Mathieu Raynal as referee and Ben Whitehouse as TMO, can be this bad. Let's get the first 20 minutes out of the way, no team deserves to win a game by playing that bad in the first 20 minutes. The All Blacks destroyed us, and made us look like kids. Shannon Frizell absolutely ran over us and made us pay at the breakdown. It's been a while since a Springbok team got overpowered like that. That said, the boks came back and didn't give up. There were moments where we had the momentum and where we started getting into rhythm but then we made stupid mistakes at times we couldn't afford to make them. So I know already people are going to talk about this being an excuse, when you lose 35-20, or when you're 17-0 down in the first 20 mins. No matter how good or bad the ref was, that is on you.

But yeah, now let's focus on the officiating, because it was terrible. The main talking is obviously the Cheslin Kolbe try that got disallowed by Ben Whitehouse. It has to be one of the worst TMO decisions I've seen in rugby. When a TMO has clear evidence of grounding and a player whose hands are pressing downwards and touching the ball as the ball is touching the ground, and then he still manages to screw it all up by saying Kolbe's hand was never pressing down. How on earth is Ben Whitehouse a World Cup TMO if he can't even get that right? I knew he was a bad ref in the URC, but he is starting to become the Welsh Marius Jonker. His logic when making decision is absurd. Then you have him not even reviewing the questionable passes on the other Kolbe try and the Frizell try. Then there is him getting involved and spotting a neck roll from Lood de Jager, but after that he simply ignores all the other dangerous neck rolls and cleanouts. What was he doing?

Then we have Mathieu Raynal who was just as bad. The Springboks simply had no chance at lineout because Raynal didn't apply the laws. The All Blacks were offside and standing on the Mark of Touch on almost every single lineout, and he called it once, then just never does it again. Then there is the the incidents where the All Blacks are pre-binding onto the Springbok Lineout whilst the jumpers are in the air. Not to mention the Marx try where 2 of the New Zealand player were cynically collapsing the mall 1 meter from the try line, yet they didn't even get a warning. Then there is just inconsistent calls all round with the breakdown and scrums. he had no control whatsoever. The best had to be when South Africa gets scrum advantage, we run 20 meters, which he never calls advantage over, then at the ruck, Lood de Jager, cleans out an All Blacks player, completely from the side and off the ball. Then Sam Cane comes from the side of the ruck, completely offside, goes headfirst into the back of the head of Faf de Klerk, and takes him out, all the while Eben Etzebeth has Ardie Savea in a headlock. And the ref manages to miss every single infringement and also ends up not giving the Springboks any advantage for the scrum. It was an absolute joke.

At the end of the day, the All Blacks win us regardless of who was the ref. But boy, this game is making me extremely worried about the World Cup. Of this is the best that World Rugby has to offer, then we're in for a wild ride at the World Cup.

Lastly, I would also like to thank VHA Accounting Solutions for their partnership during this 2023 Rugby Championship. This video was sponsored by them. We look forward to a great partnership during this Rugby Championship

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[JohnBobbert]

It is important that a ref should be analyzed after each Rugby game, doesn't matter at what level is being played. This will also serve as a barometer and points the errors made. World Rugby should make this a must, this can only enhance the game of Rugby and how it is played or suppose to be played taken the laws into account.

[Vidyanth]

Great analysis, it's about time that each captain, gets two reviews similar to cricket.

[talentfinder]

Also Kolbes try that was disallowed for ‘no downward pressure’ was knocked on by a Barrat but so at worst should’ve been a 5 metre scrum to SA, but was given as AB 22 dropout.

[coetzee]

The worst thing about the disallowed Kolbe try is the fact that we had advantage when that cross kick was made. Then the try was disallowed and they called it a goal line drop out for NZ.

[MrBlack_rugby]

As a kiwi I also thought Kolbe scored but because the refs are so inconsistent these days because of that tiny bounce I also thought theirs a chance they won’t reward it.

[paddy]

The ABs outplayed us that simple. Maybe the score could’ve been closer but they made less mistakes and Frizel played out of his socks.

[Ginlah]

The wayI understood the rule is there has to be downward pressure but also the player has to be in control of it which is I think why the refs said no try, In slow mo it looks different

[jimbojonesporfavor]

@Tasanalytics - are you studying for your referee licence? Be the change you want to see!

[Mikeup]

Im a springbok fan so still hurting, but, although your ref analysis is often correct, there is one thing that's missed. Rugby is a game played with a certain flow to it and if you want robotic refs who call every single issue after the TMO live checks everything the game will be so stop start that i think it will lose its beauty. I believe we need to understand that refs are going to make some bad calls. What I don't really like is when the TMO gets involved and even he gets in wrong or when a ref calls inconsistently. The AB's just outplayed the boks in the first 20. this game wasn't won or lost due to dodgy refereeing calls.

[hankgoldenshaft]

I’m not a big fan of these videos but Raynal is a truly shocking ref at this level. His refereeing is inconsistently chaotic. Go ABs! and long live this rugby mad rivalry

[stephenhartwanger]

As a bok fan, honestly think the loss so close to WC is better prep. Conversely, the ABs always go in as favorites and the wheels fall off.

[jacojoubert]

Here is a question for all:

If you are a you apply the following - win at all costs, in other words, break/bend the rules to your benefit (regardless how small the margin your team benefits) until you get penalised or reprimanded...and win, or strictly stick to the rules and lose...

Before anyone shits their pants, this applies to any match and any team in the history of rugby.

Just curious as to the mindset. No one likes losing, be it fair or unfair...the question is, would you rather win knowing it wasnt deserved or lose knowing at least you did so honestly?

[Skyscraper]

I figured this was a lot of decisions that could have changed the outcome slightly. But I will say ABs momentum and pace in the first 15/20 minutes just blew us away and we didn't have a response until the second half. And even though we scored more in the 2nd half than they did we were too far behind for it to matter. But it is good we go into the RWC format somewhat humbled. It gives us a reality check and we can then figure out how to do better.
It is also no surprise why ABs haven't lost in that venue since 1937. It was clear to me why that is the case.

Question is for my Springbok team, what are we going to do to fix that?

[russellblake]

another thing to check ... the backs advancing early at lineouts, particularly if they plan to throw long.

[Juiced]

The game was much closer than the ref allowed it to be.

[beizman]

It's easy to pick apart the referee's game when you got 20 cameras pointed from different angles at the whole field after the game has ended. But the ref's only got two eyes to work with live and if he wasn't sure about something then other eyes could help him out if he missed something.

[nocaphen]

2nd half where boks changed their line speed to shut down abs forward momentum.. you can see the boks clearly offside. There were about 3 or 4 occasions and yet only 1 seem to be called. bok was leaning on the back of his fellow bok at the back of a ruck. Forcing everyone who is a step in front of the d line before the ball was out, offside. Blatant for sure. Yet you didn't even manage to catch any of them.

[blade]

I'm surprised you didn't point out how many times the ref missed SA being off side.

[LikhayaRebe]

SA advantage from the scrum was at their 10m line. They were finally brought to a halt by means of a ruck on the ABs 10m line (20m later). When does the advantage end/over?

[matthewtuaine]

No one takes an L like a South African.