While the Rugby World Cup was completed nearly a month ago, talk of decisions and outcomes is still prevalent, with former All Blacks head coach Ian Foster discussing the final in a recent interview.
With all four of the quarter-finals, one semi-final, and the final being decided by the tightest of margins, refereeing decisions carried greater weight and were more heavily scrutinised.
Ian Foster Discusses Crucial Rugby World Cup Final Decision
In the interview - with New Zealand media outlet The Platform - Foster referenced a turnover from South Africa's Kwagga Smith which he felt should have been a penalty to the All Blacks, and given them a kick to win the game.
“You can look at some of the controllables," Foster said.
There was a great Jordie Barrett chip in the first half and Ardie ran onto it, the ball didn’t bounce his way. We had a couple of goal kicks in that last 20 that didn’t go over.
I think the World Cup should have finished on a penalty to us, near where Jordie missed his first kick. Kwagga Smith clearly had hands on the ground when he won a ball at the breakdown that we didn’t get a penalty for.
The drama of having a 48-metre penalty to finish a World Cup, that wouldn’t have done anyone’s nerves any good anyway. But look, there’s a whole lot of ‘what ifs’, but that’s what it is.
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“We’ve always said World Cups are unique and you look back at 2011 for example, we won a really tight game against France 8-7,” Foster added.
“People forget about how tight that game was, they just remember the victory.
“There were cries from the French for a penalty in the last part of that game.
“Am I philosophical? I guess I am about it but what I’ve learnt, I’ll never get over it I don’t think, but there is no point us carrying around a lot of anger about it either because it doesn’t change.
“We’ve just got to acknowledge that’s what finals are about, there is a bit of drama on all counts.”
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