World Cup winners question crucial All Blacks decision against South Africa
In a match that finished with a 12-11 scoreline, the World Cup final came down to fine margins and crucial moments- a successful pass here or an accurate kick there and the All Blacks could have come away victorious, or equally South Africa could have won more comfortably.
As far as crucial moments go, they do not get any bigger than the All Blacks’ decision to kick to the corner in the 51st minute. Trailling 12-6 at the time, but critically with 14 players against 14 as Siya Kolisi was yellow carded, New Zealand decided to turn down a likely three points from Richie Mo’unga for a potential five or seven. A few phases later and Will Jordan was knocking the ball on and the Springboks had repelled the All Blacks.
On such moments are matches won and loss, and as a result they are much discussed once the final whistle blows. Former World Cup winners Conrad Smith and Jean de Villiers, and former England wing Ugo Monye went over that decision on the Official Rugby World Cup 2023 Podcast, and questioned whether it was the right call, albeit with the luxury of hindsight.
While it did not turn out to be the correct call, the former All Black Smith said that there are no right or wrong decisions, and moments like that are one of the “beautiful parts” of rugby.
“As a spectator, I don’t like drilling onto those decisions, but I would love to ask that,” the Smith said about understanding the reasoning behind the decision to kick for the corner.
“I had Thierry Dusatoir and Matt Giteau next to me and I was really confused. Part of me thought, maybe they knew Siya was only goint to get a yellow, so they had ten minutes to capitalise on 14 on 14. But, as far as I could see, I just thought ‘take those three, man. You’re in a final.’
Monye countered by quoting England fly-half George Ford, who talked about the feel of a game that players have that coaches and fans do not have. “George Ford said to me,” he said. ‘Coaches in the stands, they see things that we don’t see on the pitch as players, but players feel different things that coaches never feel.’ So that was a feel decision, and you never want to take the feel away from players.”
Smith agreed with Monye, and added that there’s never a right decision. He said: “Look, and Jean you’re been the same, I’ve been captain and there are those moments in a game that I love. They’re beautiful parts of the game because there are no right decisions. You’ll go for the line and score and they’ll be like ‘that was it,’ or then you’ll go and miss the lineout and they’re like ‘you should have taken the three points.’ There’s never a right decision, but they took the punt there and I just questioned it, but you can do that with every decision in the game.”
Former Springboks captain de Villiers was a man of few words in this discussion, but added: “I thought it was the right decision… for us.”
Comments on RugbyPass
guys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
1 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
227 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
3 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
86 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
30 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
227 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
227 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
19 Go to comments