RUGBY/New Zealand's exit:International Rugby Board referee manager Paddy O'Brien has staunchly defended World Cup referee Wayne Barnes after he was heavily criticised following New Zealand's World Cup exit.
Englishman Barnes has come under fire from New Zealand rugby chiefs and the country's media, and has been subjected to personal abuse and death threats from fans on internet sites, after the All Blacks lost 20-18 to France in Cardiff on Saturday night.
New Zealand Rugby Union chairman Jock Hobbs told Radio New Zealand two crucial decisions by Barnes had cost the All Blacks the match - the sin-binning of centre Luke McAlister and missing a forward pass in the lead-up to France's second try.
O'Brien said the criticism was unfounded. "I think it's a disgrace and people have to grow up," he told BBC radio yesterday. "New Zealand losing that game was not all about the forward pass. The pass was forward but that's rugby refereeing.
"Hindsight is a wonderful thing but you can't turn back the clock. I'm a very proud Kiwi and I wear my heart on my sleeve when the All Blacks are playing, but it doesn't change my judgment.
"Sport is about winning and losing and New Zealand lost, let's get on with life. It's a sad reflection and I'd like to say that it's not all New Zealand people."
O'Brien added: "He's a superb referee and we have a lot of confidence in him, that's why we gave him the quarter-final. He's an outstanding individual as a person and it makes me sick to the stomach to hear some of the comments that have been made about him."
Barnes (28) is the youngest of the World Cup referees and took charge of an international for the first time last year.
Hobbs told Radio New Zealand: "Some of the decisions the referee made had an enormous bearing on the outcome. In our view some of the decisions were very, very questionable. We would like that performance to be reviewed, to be considered as part of what we would hope anyway that Rugby World Cup Limited would do in terms of their performance."
However, Hobbs's criticism of Barnes was mild compared with some. New Zealand media and web sites have been relentless in their attacks on the former barrister.
Ian Anderson in the Waikato Times said the "incompetent" Barnes was "the worst referee at the rugby World Cup".
"The 28-year-old Englishman broke the hearts of a nation yesterday when he oversaw the All Blacks' 20-18 loss to France in Cardiff in a staggering display of inept officialdom," Anderson wrote.
Rotorua referee Peri Marks told The Daily Post: "I think the occasion was too big for him. (Barnes) was too slow for the game. It was a great game but it could've been better. I firmly believe we were done big-time by refereeing decisions."
Online encyclopedia Wikipedia was forced to remove a mock obituary of the referee which said he had been "lynched" by a mob after the game.
Meanwhile, Dan Carter, Richie McCaw and Mils Muliaina will continue to play in New Zealand despite their World Cup exit.
Seven of the team defeated by France - Carl Hayman (Newcastle), Doug Howlett (Munster), Chris Jack (Saracens), Anton Oliver (Toulon), Byron Kelleher (Toulouse), Aaron Mauger (Leicester) and Luke McAlister (Sale) - are moving to European clubs, which will prevent them being selected for the All Blacks.
Outhalf Carter said: "The black jersey means more to me than anything else." He added: "I'm keen to hang around and make the most of these next few years. I would not want to be anywhere else but New Zealand."
The Rugby World Cup organisers yesterday said the controversial ball used in the tournament, which was given the all-clear last week after complaints from kickers, has affected accuracy because some have been over-inflated.
"Some balls have been found to be over-inflated," said the International Rugby Board's communications manager, Greg Thomas. "When that happens, a ball's characteristics change. Information on the correct pressure is being sent out to the appropriate people. It is important to reiterate that this is not a new ball: it has been used in major tournaments before."
