Tamjon says...

I don't think there is anything wrong with what has been written. For starters he does not actually acuse anyone of match fixing, just entertained the thought before dismissing it. I'd rather know what goes through the mind of one of the greatest rugby coaches, than having his real thoughts and feelings covered over so as to not upset the few that cannot read the words in their correct context

Posted 06:53 30th July 2012

Philly says...

GH is talking from a 2007 perspective. I am glad to see him make his thoughts known. I felt the same way after the 2007 QF. I thought I had seen the most blatant display of refereeing incompetence of a pay off somewhere behind closed doors. I am glad I wasn't the only only one.

Posted 06:37 30th July 2012

Cats_Meow says...

@every absolute imbecile who is pointing towards the apparent one-sided nature of the 2011 World Cup Final as their only form of rebuttal to Henry's allegations - are you effing kidding me?? all this says to me is that you indirectly agree there was something amiss in 2007, unbelievable... you're probably the same bunch of morons whose only rebuttal to the allegation of Richie McCaw being eye-gouged in the final was that he "got away" with concussing Morgan Parra

Posted 04:56 30th July 2012

Rosco1971 says...

Wow, fancy GH having an opinion and being passionate about his job!!? Anyone impartial who watched that 2007 game could see the ref had an absolute shocker similar to BL in the Wallabies v SA in 2011. In the 2007 game there was a game changing blatant forward pass right in front of the very experienced touch judge. That would be picked up 99/100 in a club game. GH states he reviewed the video of the game and he struggled to understand why the decisions where made, considering the officials are supposed to be rugby's elite. Most of us watching the game did the same thing. By him throwing out the possibly of match fixing rather than incompetence he has stirred he hornets nest but I recall the shock and denial when Hanse Cronje got done. Is he that wrong to ask that question? I bet many coaches have thought the same but won't say anything while they are still active in the game.

The beauty of this game is that we are passionate about it but let's lose the nationalistic diatribe and see this what it is.

By the way, Stephen Jones is a ****:)

Posted 04:17 30th July 2012

theGadflY says...

if there were any match fixing it probably happned in 1995 & 2011 RWCs.NZ are no saints themselves.every1 saw how the refreeing was,includin the final.

Posted 02:30 30th July 2012

Trader2 says...

Don't quite agree with the sentiment but the stats, if correct, are interesting, France were great on defence that night, but were they that good?? To all those clowns comparing 2007 to 2011 well I suggest you do a similar analysis of the stats for 2011 - chalk and cheese. Will be interesting to see the book (which is obviously why this story is out now) and see exactly what GH has said. But the best thing about it is to give all the AB haters out there, who never get satisfaction on the field against the AB's, the chance to cheer up their pathetic miserable little lives. Gotta love that!

Posted 00:51 30th July 2012

kiwilad says...

As a rugby fan from NZ I am embarrased that GH has decided to dive into this.

Abs lost the game because they had no plan B, and did not have the nous to attemp a drop goal.

The rest is a referees interpretation, and often wrong.

Sometimes its in your favour, other times its not.

Posted 00:28 30th July 2012

schalkthehulk says...

Oh and noone suspected match fixing in the world cup just gone??!?!?! Bryce Lawrence, anyone? Craig Joubert in the final?!?!?

Posted 00:21 30th July 2012

2EyedKiwi says...

Please note, Graham Henry speaks for Graham Henry, not all NZ.

Posted 23:37 29th July 2012

jamesliveinhope says...

This is absolutely disgraceful, has the man never watched a rugby match - 40 penalty infringements??????? of course there are its a complex sport, the referee is trained not only to judge whether an infringement has occurred but also to judge whether it has a material impact on the play otherwise the match would never get going. Also, having considered the fact that New Zealanders pride themselves in a captain who seems able to get away with murder on the pitch, is it not unreasonable to imagine that having the benefit of hi-motion action replays and a team of video analysts (lets not forget that he was trying to save his job at the time) you might spot more than the ref.

I think that this outburst of sour grapes does Henry no credit at all and, if I was going to defame a referee, I would probably not pick on a qualified barrister.

Posted 22:52 29th July 2012