Referee Craig Joubert makes World Cup admission over Twickenham exit
Friday 15 April 2016 11:02, UK
Craig Joubert has admitted he ran off the pitch after refereeing last year's World Cup quarter-final between Scotland and Australia in order to avoid confrontation with the players.
The South African caused controversy at Twickenham when he awarded a contentious last-gasp penalty to the Wallabies which saw them edge out Scotland 35-34.
World Rugby later announced Joubert had made the wrong decision and should have awarded a scrum, but it was the 38-year-old's decision to depart the scene after blowing the final whistle which angered many.
"In my head was a desire to avoid any possible unseemly confrontation that would mar what had been a wonderful occasion," Joubert told the Daily Telegraph.
"I had it in my mind somewhere that there had been an incident between the official and the England coaches [Andy Farrell and Graham Rowntree] in their match against Australia and I just didn't want any of that to happen, not because I don't understand the emotions of the moment for players and coaches, their desire for answers to questions, but just because I did not want that to become another possible incident.
"That was my thinking, not for myself but for the situation."
On the late penalty, Joubert added: "In hindsight, would I have reconsidered that decision? Absolutely."
He has since built bridges with Scotland coach Vern Cotter and scrum-half Greig Laidlaw.
Cotter had rung him shortly after the quarter-final to tell him he understood the complexities of what had happened and they met again during the Six Nations when Joubert ran the line as Ireland played Scotland in Dublin.
"I had a coffee with Vern before the game and a beer with Greig afterwards. They were very natural and typical interactions which I enjoyed," said Joubert.
