Kiwis want Barnes’s blood
Furious All Blacks fans have put a NZ$1,000 bounty on the head of Wayne Barnes.
The English referee played a huge part in the Cardiff quarter-final. He sent Luke McAlister to the sin bin for a professional foul, missed a blatant forward pass in the build-up to Yannick Jauzion’s match-winning try and failed to penalised French hands in the ruck near the end of the game. Barnes also appeared to target All Blacks captain Richie McCaw at the breakdown.
A fan, or fans, doctored Barnes’s Wikipedia entry over the weekend (Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia that is edited by its readers), which starts: Wayne Barnes is a c*** and goes on to say he “suffers from a vision-related disease which results in him being unable to see forward passes” and “gave up law to take up refereeing because he couldn’t read any “f***ing law books.”
A $NZ1000 bounty is also offered to the person who “finds him for me and keeps him under lock and key until I get there.”
The Barnes attack includes a threat to “f***** rip off your head you w*****”. It calls him a “sack of “s***” and warns in capital letters: “WE WILL FIND YOU”.
Barnes’s performance has also been questioned by leading New Zealand website RugbyHeaven, which has changed it’s name to RugbyHell since the loss to France.
“This was the Tri-Nations champions against the Six Nations,” wrote Duncan Johnstone. “It was the best team in the world against the tournament hosts on a hugely emotionally occasion. Sounds like it might have needed the best referee in the world. I don’t think we got that person dished up to us.
“And perhaps astute TV commentator and former All Black (and World Cup winner) Grant Fox hit the nail on the head when he suggested that while the French were now moving forward in the competition, Barnes should not.”
– To read the uncensored Wikipedia entry on Barnes click here
– To read Johnstone’s full column on Barnes click here.
October 9th, 2007 at 12:59 am
#195 thanks but I have had a look at the game again and although I still blame the ref for being an influence on the turning of the game.I have to admit that the French deserve their win and played with more passion than the All Blacks.The better team won …..four more years of winning in between..I reakon NZ should not even show up to RWCs because they will only get knocked out….
October 9th, 2007 at 1:13 am
marvinb, I accept that, however, if we had snuck a drop goal over and won, how much of your opinion would change?
The reason I ask this, is because, some games are so close, there is sweet f.a in it, and yet, you see people saying …XYZ totally, or thoroughly deserved their win, when in fact, you could also say, it was bloody close, 2 points, thats all it was.
Thoroughly deserving to win is, in my mind, a good 15 plus point winning margin.
We have to turn up to the next RWC – we’re hosting the party mate! Its our shout!
October 9th, 2007 at 1:21 am
#202 I have to agree but I guess the game could have gone either way…..
October 9th, 2007 at 2:58 am
The ABs have to stop accepting the favourite tag before every World Cup. The only one where they werent favourites they thrashed everyone. They have to play as underdogs to win at RWC. Too naive and dont handle the expectation.
Referee should be shot . Nuff said. O’Brien head Ref admits that it was a forward pass in last try but that reffing didnt lose ABs match. Um sorry Paddy that means it wasnt a try. Stop defending your organisation for once. The guy reffed one side. Thats great media manipulation though. French and others managed to get into the Refs head thazt Mc Caw is a cheat. Beautiful move. It worked.
The AB management has to understand that its warfare and stop trying to be MR nice guy and counter attack. They were too arrogant and thought that it wouldnt matter. Get with the play boys. Its War and you use everything you have to undermine the opposition. The Poms and the French are masters at this level. They play above expectations a lot.
The NZRFU should have stood up to the IRB re jersey change.(we are the ALL BLACKS not the ALL ALUMINIUMS)
100 yrs of playing the Frogs and we never change strip; suddenly we change in the most important game for years. Its was these little victories over the NZers psyche that got France home. France knew that everything had to go their way to win and they got what they planned for. The ABs arent ruthless enough.Its a NZ trait. Bring back our mongrels like Meads and Haden and Shelford . They knew what to do to win a test match.Anything!
Good luck to SA. They have constantly been the only team to stand up to NZ over the last 4 years. They have the athletes to go all the way. They’ve had their fright as well.
SA for the cup. Dammit.
Whatever you Saffers do. Dont let the Poms win. That would be a travesty and as far as Im concerned would remove any integrity from the Webb Ellis Cup.
Stuff the French. Sorry! Im not that big enuff a person lol.
Cant have the Argies win it. They’ve never beaten NZ for gods sake. Havent paid their dues in my book.
Go Green. sob sob mumble mumble.
October 9th, 2007 at 5:27 am
196 bringbacktheboks,
All South Africans over stereotype New Zealanders
October 9th, 2007 at 9:31 am
BlackMarc…
Very late I know… we had a power yesterday which frizzed the ADSL…
apology accepted…