Footage shows Wallabies teammates yelling at Bernard Foley before ‘disgraceful’ Bledisloe Cup call
Angry Wallabies are seen blowing up at teammate Bernard Foley seconds before he fell victim to ‘disgraceful’ time-wasting call – as rugby greats and fans vent their fury over Bledisloe Cup robbery
- Wallabies were denied a famous victory against the All Blacks at the death
- Referee Mathieu Raynal blew a controversial penalty against Bernard Foley
- Raynal felt Foley was time-wasting, New Zealand then scored a try to win 39-37
- Footage shows Wallabies teammates screaming at Foley to kick ball into touch
Damning footage has revealed Wallabies teammates screaming at Bernard Foley to boot the ball into touch moments before referee Mathieu Raynal effectively ended Australia’s Bledisloe Cup chances.
While the French official has attracted plenty of criticism what many Wallabies fans and former greats felt was a ‘disgraceful’ call on Thursday at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium, the vision shows Foley’s teammates were worried about him being penalised for wasting time.
After a free kick for failing to find touch quickly enough was awarded against him, All Blacks fullback Jordie Barrett scored a try in the 81st minute to seal a gripping 39-37 win.
Vision in the lead up to the penalty shows several Wallabies – including inside centre Lalakai Foketi – virtually begging Foley to stop running down the clock.
Foketi can then be seen reacting furiously when Raynal awarded a free kick against Australia seconds later.
Damning footage has revealed Wallabies teammates screaming at Bernard Foley to boot the ball into touch moments before referee Mathieu Raynal (pictured right) effectively ended Australia’s Bledisloe Cup chances
Former Wallaby Adam Ashley Cooper was perplexed by the crucial on-field call which saw New Zealand steal a 39-37 win at the death
Fellow great Matt Giteau spoke for many rugby fans when he tweeted ‘A super contest arguably ruined by that last call…I can’t believe that. Congrats @AllBlacks &@wallabies on an unreal game! Such a cruel ending’
The referee was said to have given Foley several warnings before blowing the whistle while the playmaker was in the motion of taking his kick.
Raynal explained on field to scrum-half Nic White how he reached his crucial decision, which some rugby supporters have labelled ‘farcical’.
‘I said first, we are playing, OK? Then I switch off the time…I switch on the time and I say to your player, I switch on the time and you play immediately and he (Foley) waits and he waits and he waits…so that’s a scrum to the All Blacks.’
A number of former Wallabies greats took to Twitter to vent their anger and dismay over Raynal’s call.
Matt Giteau tweeted ‘A super contest arguably ruined by that last call…I can’t believe that. Congrats @AllBlacks &@wallabies on an unreal game! Such a cruel ending.’
Fellow utility back Adam-Ashley Cooper posted, ‘Never seen anything like that before’, while Qaude Cooper stated, ‘Never seen that ever? Wouldn’t you just call time off? Outside of that it was such a good game.’
Before Raynal’s game-deciding call, Australian looked on course for a famous victory after trailing 31-13 at one stage.
Fly-half Quade Cooper asked ‘why wouldn’t you just call time off’ to his Twitter followers
Former Wallaby Adam Ashley Cooper echoed the thoughts of countless rugby fans when he tweeted ‘never seen anything like that before’
Furious Wallabies legend Tim Horan branded Raynal’s call ‘disgraceful’.
‘I’ve been commentating for over 20 years and I thought it was a disgraceful decision by the referee, he cracked under pressure,’ Horan said.
‘It was a disgraceful decision and World Rugby need to look at it. It was terrible.’
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie was equally scathing, stating he had never seen anything like it.
‘I’m gutted for our men because I reckon we deserve better,’ Rennie said.
‘I’ve never seen a call like that at any level. Let the teams decide the outcome, [it was] just a real lack of feel for the occasion.’
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