‘Worst ref decision ever’ ignited 20-man brawl in New Zealand vs South Africa

Rugby is in for another classic clash as southern-hemisphere nemeses South Africa and New Zealand duke it out in Saturday's World Cup final.

Each country has claimed a joint-record three World Cup crowns to date, meaning the victor in Paris will steal an edge on the sport's biggest stage. And the stakes only add to what promises to be an all-time decider, with neither nation in need of added motivation when it comes to facing their respective opponent.

Matches between the All Blacks and the Springboks have a habit of getting feisty, and it was during the 2013 Rugby Championship that one shattering tackle sparked a 20-man melee. At the centre of the scuffle was former South Africa hooker Bismarck du Plessis, who made the mistake of landing a ferocious thump on rugby icon Dan Carter.

READ MORE: World Rugby find ‘insufficient evidence’ England’s Tom Curry was racially abused at World Cup

READ MORE: Alan Shearer's brilliant response after finding out daughter is dating England rugby star

However, as heavy-handed as the hit might have been, it looked perfectly legal even by today's standards. Du Plessis was arguably too upright heading into contact but attempted to wrap his arms and took enough care not to clash heads with his victim.

But that didn't stop French referee Romain Poite from stopping play, which gave enough pause for the two teams to erupt at one another. Willen Alberts and Ma'a Nonu were the first to lay into one another once the whistle was blown, and it wasn't long before there were at least four separate scuffles going on at once.

Is South Africa and New Zealand the biggest rivalry in rugby? Let us know in the comments section below.

Once the dust had settled, Poite consulted with his television match official (TMO) before deciding to sin bin Du Plessis, who had scored his side's only try earlier in the match. That's despite the TMO telling him there was 'no foul play' during the sequence.

And commentators concurred at the time, with even the Kiwi pundits remarking there was 'nothing wrong' with Du Plessis' tackle. Even worse is the Springbok legend picked up a second yellow card just after half-time, spoiling the spectacle as New Zealand went on to win 29-15 in Auckland.

England's rugby team will be aiming for glory in France, with Umbro supplying their kits for the tournament. It is the first time that the supplier have been handed the chance to produce the kits, with a traditional white home shirt emblazoned with the iconic red rose.

From £75

The Boks star later had that red card struck from his record and was cleared to play a fortnight later, but the damage was done in a fixture that could have decided that year's Rugby Championship. New Zealand went on to claim the title by a healthy margin, while South Africa settled for second after also losing at home to the All Blacks later in the competition.

Of those sides involved in Auckland a decade ago, New Zealand still have six players active in their present-day squad, while South Africa boast five veterans of their own. And one can bet Springboks captain Siya Kolisi will be among those desperate for redemption against the old enemy at the Stade de France.

Source: Read Full Article