“Not sure that the arbitration was up to the challenge,” said Antoine Dupont after the elimination of the Blues

The frustrating defeat (28-29) of the French XV against South Africa, this Sunday in the quarter-final of the World Cup, has not finished generating ink. In a post-match press conference, Antoine Dupont, captain of the Blues, particularly regretted certain refereeing decisions, believing that there were “things that were easy to whistle” which had not been.

“And what did you think of the arbitration? With an outside perspective?, asked Dupont, returning to the journalist his question on the performance of Ben O’Keeffe, the New Zealander who officiated during the meeting. It’s hard to have this speech, because there is frustration. I can’t wait to see the images again. When there is a 60m advance, when we slow down a ruck, it seems obvious. I don’t want to be bitter and complain about the refereeing because he lost the match, but I’m not sure that the refereeing was up to the challenge today. »

Several contentious actions

If the flyhalf was referring to an action at the end of the match, while the Blues were pushing to get back on track, several contentious actions raised questions from the followers. The counter from Cheslin Kolbe (25th), author of a supersonic run to come back and block a transformation from Thomas Ramos, particularly caused a lot of talk, as did the pass cut by Eben Etzebeth (6th) at the start of the match.

“I will not go to the arbitration field,” the coach, Fabien Galthié, preferred to evacuate. I will congratulate the refereeing body itself. We tried to work with them before and during the World Cup and we will continue like that. I understand the players’ position, but you have to understand mine. In the heat of the moment, it’s a lot of emotions to digest. Above all, I want to say congratulations to the South Africans, to their staff and wish them to continue their journey. » A message with which Dupont wished to associate himself, who concluded that the refereeing “did not take anything away from the performance of the South Africans”, authors of a “great match”.