All Black coach Dave Rennie admitted he did not see eye to eye with World Rugby in their assessment of South Africa’s scrums at FNB stadium, which saw the Boks win five penalties from the setpiece and a pushover penalty try.
The fact the All Blacks were not yellow carded in the penalty try - which is the norm for any penalty try nowadays - seems to have escaped them, but Rennie, after angering Rassie Erasmus about the scrums, and then going quiet in the build-up to the third test, seems to want to move on from the scrum, even though his own media - in a media call from Washington - don’t seem to want to agree.
It is understandable because it does seem to be a weak point for the All Blacks and there seems to be general agreement that referee Angus Gardner abdicated his responsibility in the second test and seemed to favour the weaker All Black scrum. Nika Amashukeli, of Georgia, who refereed the third test, was much more strict on the scrums and gave the Boks the advantage they deserved.
RENNIE’S COMMENTS STARTED THE CONTROVERSY
The All Blacks ignited the scrum controversy with comments in the media and a complaint to World Rugby, something Rennie now admits went against them. Asked about the scrums, he said the view was different and the All Blacks need to deal with it before the fourth test in Baltimore, and they want to give the Boks less scrums to attack from.
“We could talk about scrums, but I mean, clearly our view and the view of World Rugby and the officials is different, and so you just gotta deal with it. They don't see it the way we do, and they're the ones that matter on game day. We'll have to be better,” Rennie said in his online video conference.
“I think on our ball, the scrum was reasonably solid. We got it, got it badly wrong on one and got punished. So look, that's a weapon for them and that's the challenge. We want high continuity. If you make an error, they get to go to a set piece. They get a penalty off that. They march up the field.
“Look, it's still an area we're gonna have to be better and lineout-wise, we're just trying to play tempo, and ideally we'd like to play it off the middle or off the back. But the thinking is we'll take it where we can and the way South Africa were defending middle and back, it's a free ball at the front. So we're prepared to take it just to get the ball in our hands and get a bit of continuity.”
Later in the call Rennie was asked again for clarification on what he didn’t see eye to eye with the officials on the scrum, and, unlike earlier in the tour, he seemed hesitant to get into another war of words with Bok coach Rassie Erasmus. Erasmus exploded after the second test in Cape Town and dropped an F-bomb in countering Rennie’s narrative that the Boks were illegal in the scrum.
NOW RENNIE DOESN’T WANT TO TALK SCRUMS
“I just don't want it to be a big topic. We've gotta be better. We have to be more accurate to limit the amount of scrums they have. We've said a few things. We've spoken to World Rugby about it. They agree, but in some parts, but not necessarily on everything.
"To be honest, the sole focus at the moment seems to be the break foot. I reckon if referees are looking for a break foot, they don't see all the other things that you're supposed to be looking at.
“I don't think we're helping our referees by making their job any easier. It's a different topic. But yeah, I don't really wanna talk about the scrum because, in the end, this wasn't a deciding factor in the game. South Africa are very good at creating opportunities and taking their chances and so that maul which they scored it under the post - that was a big moment in the game.
“But we know if we can do a couple of things a bit better, limit their opportunities and be a little bit more clinical, the result could go another way. But they're a very good side, and they scramble really well and I think the better side probably won in the end.”
English referee Karl Dickson will take charge of the fourth test on Saturday. Dickson has refereed the Boks four times, with the South Africans claiming wins against Argentina and Wales, but suffering losses against Ireland in Durban in 2024, and New Zealand at Eden Park when he was on the whistle.
Saturday will also see a full set of English officials for the game. Matthew Carley, who reffed the first test, and Christopher Ridley will be assistant referees, while Andrew Jackson will be the Television match official.