Under fire from criticism after the defeat of the Blues in the quarter-final, the New Zealand referee of the second semi-final, between South Africa and England, had an eventful evening on Saturday evening.
It is undoubtedly the one that attracted the most attention. And the most whistles on the pitch at the Stade de France. Appointed by World Rugby to referee the second semi-final of the World Cup between England and South Africa won by the Springboks (16-15), Saturday October 21, in Saint-Denis, the New Zealander Ben O’Keeffe received a special welcome from the public. He also spoke a lot with the players, and his every move was scrutinized. Certainly marked by the criticism, but also by the cyber-harassment of which he was the victim during the week, he was not in the best conditions to officiate.
If he found himself at the heart of all attention, it is because the man in black was back on the Dyonisian meadow less than a week after having refereed the quarter-final between France and Africa of the South, and the elimination of the Blues (28-29). Author of refereeing decisions not always understood by the French players and their public, he was singled out as responsible for the end of the French adventure by many supporters.
“Sunday’s match is still very fresh, there is anger, frustration, we are going to whistle on principle”confided Ben and Neo, several hours before kick-off, on the way to their door. “It’s the way to express ourselves, but also to be heard by the authorities, by World Rugby”Jeanne, Tiphaine and Florent abounded before returning to their seats. “We are well aware that he is not the only one responsible, it is a shame that he is taking all this, but it is the way to express himself.”
Whistles upon entry and on each penalty
The whistles quickly came down from the stands, shortly after the stadium doors opened, while the players in the match came to recognize the pitch. They won’t be the last. The ball of boos continued as he entered the field for the warm-up, for long minutes, the announcement of the composition of the refereeing body, whose names it was difficult to hear clearly under the shouts, and as soon as his silhouette appeared on the giant screens. A reaction repeated to each penalty whistled by the New Zealand official.
In a Stade de France with a surprisingly English accent, between a few Marseillaises, we did not always know if the surviving French supporters were whistling the referee himself or his decisions, echoing those which failed and failed six days ago against the French.
As many penalties whistled in the first period as during France-South Africa
“Referees are never perfect, we inevitably make mistakes in the game”, Ben O’Keeffe defended himself during the week, to the New Zealand channel Neshub. Not the best way to be calm for such a match. He was also particularly watched by the players, with whom he spoke at length almost throughout the match.
Under pressure from critics, he slightly modified his way of officiating, and especially his attitude towards the rucks, the nerve of the Franco-South African war. At the heart of a slower and less rhythmic game (even very choppy) than during the quarter-final, therefore certainly easier to decipher, he was more vigilant in the fights on the ground. But his decisions did not always please the players, in particular the English captain Owen Farrell, who we saw discussing and sometimes getting angry in the first half.
In the 34th minute, the New Zealander had whistled as many penalties (12) as in the quarter-final. The last one he whistled (the 19th of the match), for the Springboks, three minutes from the final whistle, which allowed Handré Pollard to give his team the advantage for the first time in the match, synonymous with of victory, will certainly cause a lot of ink to flow on the other side of the Channel. The whistles once again accompanied Ben O’Keeffe as he left the field. The English supporters had perhaps joined the French, in an Entente Cordiale unusual in rugby.