The quarter-final lost by the French XV against South Africa (28-29) was marked by more than questionable decisions by New Zealand referee Ben O’Keeffe. In the 17th minute of the match, South African third row Pieter-Steph du Toit was guilty of a more than dangerous clearance on the Blues center, Jonathan Danty, where he violently hit his head. At the end of the match, French captain Antoine Dupont said: “The refereeing was not up to the task.” To which Jonathan Danty replied, laughing: “It’s difficult to say better…”
The three-quarter center from Stade Rochelais adds: “It’s true that it was a little tricky. But there is also everything that goes with it: there is the refereeing body (the assistant referees), there is also in the booths (video referee). We see quite particular decisions on the screen where the images are cut before that (the dangerous clearing). So obviously it’s special…” Already, last November, Danty was the victim of a violent header from Du Toit, sent off in the twelfth minute. “I experienced the same action as in Marseille, it was the left cheekbone and this (Sunday) evening it was the right,” he continues, his face marked. But the video was cut at that moment…”
Jonathan Danty details the course of the action, after this unsanctioned play. “You will see for yourselves but the South Africans play the move well: they hit the lineout very quickly and they will get into position and the referee moves on to something else,” he says. But there is still the referee in the cabin who allows you to check this type of thing. It’s part of rugby, there are still failures. For us, it would be too easy to blame the defeat on the refereeing even if there are decisions that are contentious. The staff will perhaps ask for explanations.
As a reminder, Ben O’Keeffe was assisted in this match by a trio composed entirely of New Zealanders, with Paul Williams and James Doleman on the sidelines and Brendon Pickerill on video. Difficult, in these conditions, to judge a compatriot? A surprising choice, in any case, on the part of World Rugby in the appointment of the referees for this match.
