World Rugby Condemned Over Treatment Of Craig Joubert

World Rugby has faced strong condemnation from all elements of the game for its admission that referee Craig Joubert blundered in awarding Australia their decisive penalty against Scotland.

Wallabies great David Campese insists the World Rugby official who signed off the public rebuke of Joubert “should be shot”, Australia coach Michael Cheika describes his treatment as “so unfair” and retired referee Jonathan Kaplan now fears for the image for the game.

“I have been in games where referees have made real blunders, but whoever put that statement out saying the referee got it wrong should be shot. Now you’re actually saying the referees are bad,” Campese told talkSPORT.

“One of the biggest problems in world rugby is trying to get referees, and if they’re going to cop abuse every game – meaning there will be no referees – then we haven’t got a game.

“I know they make mistakes, but you have to live with them. I would hate to be a referee. There is so much happening. They are human and they do make mistakes.”

Jonathan Kaplan, rugby’s most experience international referee and a veteran of four World Cups who retired two years ago, has also leapt to the defence of his compatriot.

“I’m just wondering whether this is a good look for World Rugby to be criticising their own assets,” Kaplan told BBC Radio 5 live.

“Craig is definitely in the top four referees in the world and that’s why he has been chosen to do the quarter-finals onwards.

“If World Rugby were going to come out and clarify the decision, there’s a lot more they could have shared with the public.”

What do you think? Should World Rugby have turned their back on Joubert?

Source: Independent.ie