Classless act from All Blacks leaves France fuming after controversial loss
What were New Zealand thinking? There is wanting to win, and then there is doing what their sevens team did on Sunday in the London leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
Up against France in the cup quarter-final, the All Blacks Sevens conceded a late try by Joris Simon, and with the score now at 19-17, France’s Thomas Carol could convert to make the scores level at full time and force the game to extra time. Then the series leaders pulled one of the slyest tricks any team could play, which many people out there would label as cheating.
With Carol lining up the kick, the New Zealand players all walked past him to block his kick and get in his way. Carol protested to the referee Francisco Gonzalez, who in turn timed out the kicker and blew full time, meaning France lost by two points having not even had the chance of taking the kick.
Now New Zealand do not have to stand under the posts for the kick, but then again this was a piece of gamesmanship that will not go down with many people across the game.
New Zealand will now go on and play Fiji in the semi-final, and it is clear who France will be supporting. Take a look:
What just happened?!
France run out of time to take the kick and New Zealand head to the semi-finals!#HSBC7s | #London7s pic.twitter.com/0vOZFALFAj
— World Rugby 7s (@WorldRugby7s) May 21, 2023
New Zealand secured their 13th Sevens Series last week with a 24-19 victory over Argentina in the final. Captain Sam Dickson said after the match: “So proud of the boys to come back again in extra time and show that ticker we’ve had all season and top-off our World Series. This victory means a lot to everyone.”
That was New Zealand’s third tournament win in a row, and victory in London would mean they close the season with four on the bounce, and they made sure they were going to win at any cost.
