World Rugby’s officiating crisis hit another level in the South Africa vs Italy test. Franco Mostert was given a permanent red card for a tackle that clearly showed no direct head contact — shoulder on shoulder, a level change from the ball carrier, and an attempted wrap. Yet the referee and TMO insisted it was “always illegal,” refused bunker review, and produced one of the worst decisions of the season.
But it didn’t stop there.
A near-identical incident involving Marco van Staden — no wrap, head contact — was completely ignored by the same officiating team. Add to that a missed tackle-in-the-air and multiple one-sided calls, and even Siya Kolisi eventually reached breaking point, calling out the TMO directly.
This video breaks down every key moment, frame by frame, exposing how inconsistent, selective, and damaging the current officiating system has become. Fans are told to “trust the process,” yet the process keeps proving it cannot be trusted.
Is this just incompetence… or something worse?
You decide.
Officials involved:
Referee: James Doleman (NZR)
AR1: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
AR2: Jérémy Rozier (FFR)
TMO: Tual Trainini (FFR)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
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