It’s been a lively opening week to the Rugby World Cup, filled with upsets, sending-offs and a couple of crucial clashes.
It’s also helped shape the knockout stages of the competition with South Africa now likely to face Ireland in the quarter-finals after losing to the All Blacks 23-13.
Former All Black Jon Preston, appearing on TVNZ’s The Front Row, applauded South Africa for their performance in Yokohama.
“It was always going to be the clash of the titans – two of the most favoured sides in the tournament,” Preston told host Guy Heveldt.
“South Africans came out firing, New Zealand expected that, and they weathered that storm and finally got into their game.”
TVNZ and Spark Sport presenter Scotty Stevenson added that the win would make the All Blacks “massively relieved” – both on and off the pitch.
“There is a phony war that goes with every World Cup – everyone’s looking for a chink in the armour, especially when you’re the two-time defending champions.
“It’s no surprise to me that [critics were calling the All Blacks vulnerable] leading into the first game but has that changed since? I would think so a little bit – it’s been dialled down.”
But one area where things are ramping up is officiating at the tournament with World Rugby coming out to critique their referees after some controversial calls in the opening Tests.
The most notable incident involved Wallabies winger Reece Hodge who went unpunished in his side’s win over Fiji but has since been handed a three-match ban with the contact he made deemed red card-worthy.
Preston believes it was simply a matter of the referees also being “new” to the tournament like the players and things would tighten.
1 NEWS Sport reporter Stephen Stuart, making his Front Row debut, predicted a red card will be close at hand now there’s been a stern message sent.
“What about in Tonga v Argentina on Saturday afternoon?” Stuart suggested.
The All Blacks won’t have to worry about any cards or referees for another week with their next Rugby World Cup match against Canada taking place on Wednesday at 11:15pm NZT.
* The Front Row, TVNZ's weekly rugby show, is available on 1 NEWS Now, Facebook and YouTube and airs on the Duke channel. it is also available as a podcast in all the usual places.
SHARE ME