Why did the ref run off?

Why did the ref run off? He might’ve been scared or bursting for the loo Rugby chief tries to let clown Joubert off hook

 

 

BLUNDER ref Craig Joubert dashed off the Twickenham pitch into World Cup hiding.

But was he bursting to reach the safety of the dressing room — or just bursting?

World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper posed the question as Scotland waited for answers to their Twickenham heartache.

 

Blunder ref Joubert raced off after his howler KO'd Scotland and ignored skipper Laidlaw

Gosper kick-started a full-scale probe into Joubert’s dismal display in the agonising 35-34 defeat to Australia.

And he incensed Scots fans by claiming the ref may just have needed the TOILET.

South African official Joubert has been slammed for awarding the controversial last-gasp penalty, which condemned Vern Cotter’s heroes to a World Cup exit.

He’s also been criticised for sprinting off the pitch without shaking hands or even speaking to Scots skipper Greig Laidlaw and his team-mates.

Scotland legends Gavin Hastings and Kenny Logan led calls for Joubert to be banned from reffing internationals.

Even former England skipper Matt Dawson branded him a ‘disgrace’ and tweeted: “How dare you sprint off the pitch after that decision!”

But while Gosper awaits his own answers from the 37-year-old, he came up with bizarre explanations for Joubert’s sudden departure.

Gosper said: “Maybe he was keen to get to the bathroom, who knows?

“I’m sure as a referee he sensed a bit of hostility.

“When you have a hostile 82,000 people, for whatever reason, who knows how that affects behaviour.

“I haven’t spoken to him. We have a process of reviewing and each referee is assessed by an assessor.

“We will draw conclusions from the facts we look at. What I’d say is the standard and level of refereeing has been phenomenally high at this Rugby World Cup.

“Mistakes do happen but it’s a tough job. There’s a review taking place of all aspects, including the referee’s exit from the pitch.

“Craig is a superb ref and has been for a long time and he’s a good man.

“There will be reasons for whatever Craig did.”

Joubert ruled that Scotland’s Jon Welsh was deliberately offside and awarded a penalty.

TV replays indicated that Australia’s Nick Phipps touched the ball back to Welsh, and that Joubert should have awarded a scrum instead.

Joubert’s conduct came under attack from several former internationals.

Grand Slam legend Hastings said: “That is the worst thing I have seen on a rugby field in a long time.

 

Gosper's excuse for ref was down pan

“That is not the spirit of rugby. Joubert should be sent home tomorrow, and he should not be allowed to make an international rugby commitment again.

“If I see Joubert again, I am going to tell him how disgusted I am. It was disgraceful he ran straight off the pitch at the end like that.”

Joubert’s decision to penalise Glasgow Warriors prop Welsh has been ruled as incorrect by refs’ chiefs.

It’s now unlikely he’ll land another game at this year’s tournament, and he could be axed from Tests.

But Aussie coach Michael Chieka defended his decision to dash from the scene of the crime at Twickenham.

Cheika, whose side now face Argentina in the second semi-final on Sunday, said: “I don’t like the way that people are making something out of the way he ran off the field.

“You’ve got to assess the things for what they are, and not the more romantic nature of what we’re all thinking. He’s just a person like everyone else.”

Cheika revealed he had heard the reports that a bottle had been thrown in the emotional aftermath of Scotland’s cruel exit.

Cheika added: “I don’t think it is funny. I’d be racing off too if I saw a bottle coming. I don’t think anything of him going off quickly. Maybe he was worried about something, maybe he got a word in his ear from the security guards or the tournament organisers to say: We think you should leave the field’, who knows?”

Scotland fly-half Finn Russell still felt the pain of the agonising exit yesterday.

A win would have sent the Scots to a first semi-final since 1991, with an elusive first-ever final appearance just 80 minutes away.

Russell said: “It was a real Scottish way of losing. We were so close but didn’t get the win.

“I don’t know what to say about the decision. It’s disappointing for us. It maybe should have been a scrum which could have changed the game.

“But they got the penalty and Bernard Foley kicked it well. What can we do after that?

“It’s weird to think that’s the World Cup over now, just like that.

“We’ve put a long time into this tournament so it’s disappointing it’s now over. That’s just sport for you, I guess.

“We’re feeling low right now and we’re gutted to be out, but the performance was amazing. We will learn from this.”

Source:the sun