Boks fans and even a former player go after Luke Pearce in wake of loss

The ref was shocking. I switched off after the Mapimpi try was disallowed. So obvious the ref was cheating. As for 'neutrals', we have english (ref) and New Zealanders (beneficiaries) saying he was great. Hard to find anyone else.

What a load f moaners

There were foibles from the ref for both teams.

He missed a couple of forward passes between Boks forwards, in both halves, and seemed to allow the SA backs to be slightly offside (like last week) for many defensive manoeuvres. He also allowed the Bokke forwards to go across rucks, off their feet too often, especially later on.

Overall though, I believe it was the best reffing performance involving the ABs this year so far.

Top notch Mr. Pearce.

Everyone loves bashing the Boks and saying how arrogant Bok fans are. What a negative clickbait style article to post on this website, clearly posted to wind people up and provoke a reaction. Congratulations on being a low class journalist.

I think the yellow in the first few minutes was exceptionally harsh. Anyone who thinks that was clearly a cynical action is seriously one eyed. Thats what started the Saffa fans looking at the ref. Besides that the ref denied a try to Lukhanyo Am after a clear Sam Whitelock rip, which he then called a knock on. The call on Jayden Hendricks obstruction was right but unlucky. The 6’6 Kiwi lock really struggled to handle the bump from the 5ft9 Bok scrumhalf. It changed the game from a 2 point game to a 10 point game. But dont gimme this “neutral” observers kuk. Show me a Kiwi, Ozzie or Brit who wanted the boks to win and I will show you a liar.

The only obvious call he got wrong was when he didn't give one of the Boks a yellow card for a really bad high tackle, NZ scored and he didn't go back for it.

Come on Saffas, unlike you to blame the ref when you lose. A couple of iffy decisions sure but that's par for the course. I thought he reffed the game pretty well, better than last week's pedantic twit.

Lets wait for the video diatribe whinge from water tactician LOL. boks got the rub of the green all day long..on this game. glad AB won

I remember seeing a headline last week which read, "South African Rugby Calls Out 'Whinging All Blacks'"

I thought the refereeing really helped the Boks as he blew the whistle so often against both sides making the game so stop start which gave the unfit Bok forwards plenty of time to get their breath back. Unfortunately for the Boks, Willemse and Am's fantastic attacking play actually helped exhaust the big Bok forwards as they tried to keep up and support them.

what about the ripped ball that was judged as a knock on, when Am scored off the dropped pass? that was early on in the game.

we didn't have a great game but that was one wrong call as far as I understand the rules of the game. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

is a ripped ball a knock on?

He then told Kolisi to back off when he questioned it. No review at all.

There does seem to be a rhetoric about SA and ref complaints now. Don't know if this is spin doctoring by media outlets or if the Rassie thing has put a target on our backs (perhaps there are a lot of people who complain but in fairness if there is some merit to what's being said then it's a free world and freedom of speech should stand true (perhaps other countries' fans do the same!?). In fairness, there's always something to say by someone.

Again, we threw the game away with some poor play (lineouts, starting lineup, etc) but in my opinion it is a game of fine margins. One cannot say it was a "perfect" game by the ref if there were some errors and I'm sure one might find a few.

Perhaps they SA should have had the ref who refereed the welsh v SA first test ......karma

Boks were definitely their own worst enemies. Up with a few minutes to play against 14 men and still lose. They deserve every point they gave away. Far too many mistakes. In a close game the side that makes the least mistakes wins. That was the AB's. Mapimpi's try should have stood. The No 9 stood dead still. I've watched it over and over. He never moved a foot. He is under no obligation to get out of anyone's way. And that would probably have changed the game. But that would just have masked a diabolical performance by the Boks. The wonder was, just like last week when the roles were reversed, The AB's if they were half good would have put 40 points over the hapless Boks just like the Boks should have last week. The SH has fallen behind Ireland and France. No doubt about that France would have put both those teams away yesterday.

I rate luke pearce as one of best refs around at moment ,in an average game of rugby there will be a number of decisions that will always come down to interpretation,i thought pearce was fair and consistent,all you can ask for.

Amazing that people attack the ref who had a very good game

Yes we did not hear new Zealanders complain we just heard the head coach make slanderous and ridiculous statements about the ref. But hey if it was Rassie saying something he world would be up in arms.

Never known SA supporters to be so bias, you came second on the day by a better team and the reff was consistent. Last week when we lostyou didn't hear us complain about anything but our own silly mistakes.

It appears that SA supporters are now the worst complainers and always blame the reff or who eve, not their own teams mistakes and judgment. Didn't hear any of the SA players complain about the reff, don't be sour lovers as the Aussies lie in waiting for you in a fortnight.

This is rubbish reporting. After any team’s loss you can quote thousands blaming the referee. So this means all South Africa is saying this? What rubbish! Get a grip rugbypass!

He definitely blundered disallowing Mapimpi try after judging Hendriks obstructed Whitelock whereas Whitelock shoukd have been nominated for an Oscar, plus appeared to turn blind eye to same AB infringement as got Willemse a yellow. But hard to imagine diff outcome given how ABs played in last 20

Reading Mark Keohane's review, it sounds like he backs Luke Pearce, not criticises him? As a neutral, i thought he reffed very well and consistently for both teams in a tough arena.