13 thoughts on “Rate the match: Australia vs Argentina, RWC 2015”

  1. Wayne Barnes was very poor! That knock on where a try came from the resultant scrum was not a knock on imo, and the last one was a forward pass so that’s the 14 points difference right there. I’m not saying the Aussies wouldn’t have won anyway but it does make a difference.

    1. Wayne Barnes is always poor. The guy is now beyond a joke and has allowed far far too many errors in far too many games and NEVER once been held to account for any of them.

      He is much worse than Craig Joubert and that is saying something.

      How he can be allowed to ref a RWC semi-final is utterly comprehension.

      His glaring errors in RWC match after match go back as far as 2007 and yet he continues to get on the International panel.

      Doubtless we’ll see further appalling screw-ups by him during the 6n 2016 and again on the summer tours.

  2. I totally agree the Yellow card was not a yellow card only a penalty what a shame the Ref’s are very poor in the WC well done Australia.

    South Africa and Argintinia for 3 and 4

    Good luck to all the Teams may the best one win :)

  3. Thought Pocock was tremendous again, he is a real point of difference in this side. Aus just too strong and should be a thrilling final!

  4. australia was the better team, but the fact that they are clearly getting helped from the referees is starting to worry me. i have no doubt that is much a better business if australia were in the semi final vs the all blacks, and im starting to think that might be the reason why they are getting so much help.
    well, congrats to the argies anyway, they played some beautifull rugby throughout the tournament. whos gonna win the world cup ?? the aussies. why ?? same reason why they look a better team today, the breakdown. in poock, hooper and fardy they have the best breakdown back row in world rugby, and im thinking that is gonna make the difference in a very tight match.

  5. Congratulations Argentina on giving it your best shot. Just a shame that nerves got the better of them ,particularly in the first fifteen. I suppose the Organisers have got the final they wanted but quite how that squares with England’s dismal showing and the subsequent joke that is the review panel,I really don’t know.

    Anyhoo, I’ll go for the Wallabies. Pocock v Mcaw will be a tremendous display of openside technique. I just hope the ref is neutral rather than a Kiwi’s fan!

  6. Australia was much the better team despite refereeing decisions.
    To say Argemtina was robbed would be like pretending England deserved to win against the same opposition!
    Did anyone see Michael Lynagh’s total sense of humour failure when Woodward and Dallaglio joked about the forward pass for the last try. Lynagh over-reacted as if it was heresy and Woodward a playground bully! Uncomfortable moment in the commentary room or what!!!

  7. Australia was the better team Argentinia did not play the game as they want to win I was not happy about the yellow card but that was not a robbed to say at least Aussies deserved to win Well done!!!!!! :)

  8. A fantastic match. Arg – you are brilliant but in a WC semi you can’t run everything from your own 22! Worthy semi finalists by a mile (in fact this last 4 were def the best 4 teams in the WC) and so, so close but my money is on Aus to win the whole thing as their defence is so well balanced with their attack and they have the player of the tournament in Pocock.

    Wayne Barnes had a great game – getting bored to hell now with the constant ref bashing. Wish I’d kept schtum about Joubert as I feel culpable but really, it’s time to knock it on the head now, please. I was particularly impressed with Barnes’ handling of the yellow card – I also thought harsh but when he explained with “he had a lot of time as it was from a distance” it made sense. It was more of a mistake than a cynical shoulder barge but that doesn’t matter – a shoulder you could have avoided using is a yellow card. Forward pass for the try? Meh, marginal. Fine with him calling that as he saw it.

    1. I thought it was a fantastic match as well and as you say, a learning experience for Arg. Go forward first, then go wide! Think they just got carried away in the first 20 mins

      Can’t call Aus a one man team as they have so many great players, but boy are they a different prospect with Pocock on the pitch. Scotland wouldn’t have got within 10 points had he been playing.

      Hope the N Hemisphere teams and England in particular are watching the commitment of the Aus and Arg forwards at the breakdown…

      Also agree about Barnes. He was clear and direct and explained his decisions. Personally, I don’t think it was a card (and rather obviously neither did the video ref) but that kind of decision can go either way – Lydiate didn’t even get a penalty for an almost identical tackle earlier in the tournament – and Barnes is the man in the middle. As for the forward pass, as you say, it was marginal and whilst it may have been a good idea to go to the TMO if only because its a RWC semi-final, if I remember rightly, the touch-judge was exactly in line and didn’t call it

      Hope it stays dry for the final as it should be a great game. Think it’ll be Aus who win…

  9. Brightly, a huge amount of sense in those comments. The yellow was a considered decision, in normal speed I picked it as a no arms tackle, and possible card. As for the forward pass, again a marginal one, at normal speed it looked fine, as it must have done to AR. Pleased here that the default setting wasn’t to query it, we want those on the park making the calls, not the man in the van.

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