Rugby: All Blacks coach Steve Hansen demands change from World Rugby

  • 24/06/2018

Another All Blacks win, another test series marred by controversy.

While the gulf between New Zealand and France was evident for all to see in their clean sweep of the tourists, it was the referees and the rulebook that took centre stage.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has demanded World Rugby adapt to the times and implement a challenge system, a suggestion that fell on deaf ears five years ago.

"We've put forward the idea of a challenge - get rid of the TMO and say, 'Righto, coaches you get two challenges'," Hansen said.

"It's got to the point where we have to do something, because it's starting to affect the game and it's affecting the people reffing the game.

"It's a difficult game to referee, because it's got faster, it's really fluid and we haven't really changed the way we ref. We're still doing it the way we used to."

While the third test didn't quite reach the heights of the first two in terms of contentious decisions, it wasn't without its moments.

The French were left fuming,  referee John Lacey appeared to obstruct halfback Baptsite Serin, allowing Damian McKenzie to score a try.

Later Shannon Frizell looked to have scored on his test debut, but the TMO overruled the referee's decision that he had grounded the ball.

Hansen wants further clarity of the responsibilities officials have and is growing frustrated with those questioning their perceived favouritism towards the All Blacks.

"Everyone's telling us referees help cheating now, because he's helping us score tries - it's just ridiculous," he said.

"If anyone else had scored that try, no-one would have moaned about it at all. If you look at it, the French halfback runs into the referee - the referee don't run into him.

"It won't help until they decide what roles are we playing in this, who's responsible for what.

"We get told the referee is the sole judge. Well, we know he's not, because we saw that last night."

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