The wife of referee Wayne Barnes has revealed he was targeted with death threats in the wake of yesterday's Rugby World Cup final which was won by South Africa over the All Blacks.
Polly Barnes, who is the Women’s Rugby Association co-founder, attended the match with their children but didn't find it a pleasant experience.
"What a vile atmosphere at the Stade de France. It’s just a game k---heads," she said on social media, according to The Telegraph.
She also added: "See ya later Rugby World Cup. Won’t miss you, or the death threats."
Yesterday's match was mired in controversy, with four players receiving yellow cards and one of them - Sam Cane - having his upgraded to red by the television match official.
South Africa's captain Siya Kolisi, like Cane, received his card for a hit to the head of a rival but his card wasn't upgraded.
TVNZ's Scotty Stevenson said criticism of Barnes after the match was unfair.
Stevenson said Wayne Barnes had effectively been relegated to the role of an "errand boy" by changes to the way the game is officiated. (Source: Breakfast)
"How do you reduce the best referee in the game (Barnes) to essentially a replay errand boy," he told Breakfast.
"Tom Foley is doing what he’s been told to do as a TMO as he is refereeing the game to the letter of the law. Unfortunately you've turned the game into a crime scene.
"The forensic nature now of TMO intervention means there is no flow in the game, a referee can’t get flow in a game, the public is confused and we are yet to hear, in the most controversial World Cup final of all time, where every headline is about red cards, about dangerous acts, about TMO intervention, we haven’t heard boo from Joël Jutge who is the head of referees at World Rugby, not a word.
"That is patently unfair on the people he has appointed to officiate that Rugby World Cup final."
He said it was upsetting to hear Polly Barnes' comments after what should have been a memorable moment for their family.
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