Skip to main content

'Should have gone to Specsavers': Wallabies fans up in arms after touch judge's blatant missed call leads to an All Blacks try in the Bledisloe Cup

Wallabies supporters have been left fuming after an Australian touch judge missed a basic call leading to an All Blacks try.

The opening match of the Bledisloe Cup between Australia and New Zealand in Wellington on Sunday afternoon was marred in controversy in the early stages of the game.

After a gutsy start from the Wallabies, the All Blacks ran rampant through Australia's defence, with fullback Jordie Barrett opening the scoring with a try in the ninth minute.

But replays showed the 23-year-old flyer should not have scored, revealing teammate Rieko Ioane stepped on the left touch line in the lead up to the play.

Australian touch judge Angus Gardner missed Rieko Ioane stepping into touch (pictured) to gift the All Blacks a try in the early stages of the first Bledisloe Cup match

Australian touch judge Angus Gardner missed Rieko Ioane stepping into touch to gift the All Blacks a try in the early stages of the first Bledisloe Cup match

Many Wallabies fans took to social media to vent their frustrations at Gardner's blunder

Many Wallabies fans took to social media to vent their frustrations at Gardner's blunder

To make matters worse, the touch judge was Australian official Angus Gardner, who was right at the line as Ioane dashed up field.

Wallabies fans have been left seething after the call, with many taking to social media to vent their frustrations.

'What are you doing Angus Gardner?!' one tweet reads.

'Should’ve gone to spec savers Angus Gardner,' another wrote. 

'Unacceptable to miss this,' rugby journalist Christy Doran posted.

The error proved costly for Australia, coming within a whisker of an upset victory with a 16-16 draw in their first Test under new coach Dave Rennie.

The mistake proved costly as the Wallabies drew 16-16 with the All Blacks in the first match of the Bledisloe Cup series. Pictured: Ioane is wrapped up by Wallabies players Michael Hooper and Tom Banks

The mistake proved costly as the Wallabies drew 16-16 with the All Blacks in the first match of the Bledisloe Cup series. Pictured: Ioane is wrapped up by Wallabies players Michael Hooper and Tom Banks

Reece Hodge had the chance to snatch a win with a 50m penalty shot after full-time that had the distance but heartbreakingly hit the upright.

Play continued in a desperate scramble for a further nine minutes but neither side was able to find the winning points, with O'Connor finally electing to boot the ball into touch and settle for the draw.

O'Connor kicked a penalty in the 63rd minute to split a 13-13 deadlock and it looked like it could be enough for Australia to break through for their first win in New Zealand since 2001.

But veteran Australian lock Rob Simmons gave away a penalty with two minutes remaining, allowing All Blacks' kicker Barrett to level.

The Wallabies trailed 8-3 at halftime but their wingers Marika Koroibete and debutant Filipo Daugunu both scored to put the Australians on track for an unlikely victory. 

The superb showing means the Wallabies can dare to dream of winning back the Bledisloe Cup, heading next to Auckland's Eden Park next Sunday on a high.

Australian prop forward Allan Alaalatoa breaks through a tackle during the Wallabies draw with the All Blacks in Wellington on Sunday

Australian prop forward Allan Alaalatoa breaks through a tackle during the Wallabies draw with the All Blacks in Wellington on Sunday

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

EXCLUSIVE: From a $US13million mansion to a caravan: How the Australian wife of Il Divo singer has been 'forced' to live in a dodgy trailer park after a wildfire burned down their house during a bitter divorce battle

'Forced' into a 'mobile home park': Renee Izambard (nee Murphy) with her estranged husband, the suave Il Divo opera singer Sebastien Izambard An Il Divo opera singer's estranged Australian wife claims she was 'forced' to live in a caravan park after their $US12.95million Malibu mansion burned down in a wildfire days just after she filed for divorce.  Details of one-time Sydney Sony Music executive Renee Izambard's new life after her messy split with French tenor Sebastien Izambard were laid bare in a lawsuit filed with a Californian court this week. Ms Izambard (nee Murphy) is suing insurer State Farm, her estranged husband, an insurance agent and up to 20 others, over an allegedly 'inadequate' policy which covered the couple's destroyed former Malibu home.  Their five bedroom residence - described as a 'no expense spared ... oasis' - and its two guest houses went up in flames on November 8, 2018 during California's devastating Wo...

The HS2 money pit: Ministers are told first stage of high-speed rail line may cost another £800m... six months after a budget increase saw total costs soar by £20.6bn to £43billion

Ministers have been told that Phase One of controversial rail line HS2 could cost £800million more than planned. It comes just six months after a budget increase saw total predicted costs for the first stage of the high-speed line soar by £20.6billion to £43billion. In a written statement to Parliament, HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson said half of this figure is due to preparation of the route for construction involving 'more significant challenges than anticipated'. This includes the need to remove more asbestos than expected. Another 'significant cost pressure' worth £400 million has also been identified during the development of designs for Euston station. Mr Stephenson warned that further investigation is being carried out which 'could identify further pressure'. Ministers have been told that Phase One of controversial rail line HS2 could cost £800million more than planned. Pictured: HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson The HS2 route would initially link London and...

EXCLUSIVE: Disgraced ex-congresswoman Katie Hill quietly settles divorce from 'abusive' husband after blaming him for exposing their 'throuple' sexual relationship with a young female campaign staffer

Disgraced Democratic Congresswoman Katie Hill has quietly settled her divorce from husband Kenny Heslep after blaming him for exposing a ‘throuple’ sexual relationship they were having with a young female campaign staffer, DailyMail.com can reveal. Hill, 33, resigned from Congress last year after the publication of shocking nude photos of the politician cavorting with junior staffer Morgan Desjardins, who was 22 at the time, and an ethics probe was launched into her alleged affair with another aide. The freshman Democrat from California immediately accused her 'abusive' husband Heslep, 36, of trying to humiliate her and leaking the snaps to ruin her political career. But speaking to DailyMail.com about the divorce settlement, Heslep's lawyer said the former congresswoman's claims were 'all smoke and mirrors.' Disgraced Democratic Congresswoman Katie Hill has quietly settled her divorce from husband Kenny Heslep after blaming him for exposing a ‘throuple’ sexual ...