'13 | TEST | Fri | Australia 32-12 New Zealand | Canberra

[Iafeta]

This is when Nightingale initiates contact. The ball is the object near Nightingale's knee. There is no physical way possible Hodges was going to recover possession. I have no dramas with it being ruled no try, but the correct interpretation is knock on, no advantage possible, scrum to New Zealand.

I would also have no dramas with it if we ever see this ruling applied that Ashley Klown pulled. I've watched rugby league for over 20 years and never seen it.

The Glenn no-try was the correct call, debatable on the try where Gallen was a block runner, Whare I don't have a drama with except the restart was blatantly wrong. The Kiwis for the first half were very good, but did not complete sets through the first 2/3rds of the half. Lets remember though, these tests are always held in Australia, never with a Kiwi ref (very rarely with a neutral ref given Klown is from Bathurst), and New Zealand never win them. They're ho-hum affairs at best. It'd be like the Wallabies heading to Eden Park halfway through the Super 15 with a Kiwi ref. They'd cop a towelling everytime. I still rate New Zealand's chances in the World Cup.

 

[Springs]

Refereeing was shocking, not just from Klein but from the video refs and the rulebook as well.

Shoulder charge rule is abysmal. Truly one of the worst rules in the game. Pritchard had his arms up to make a tackle in his second penalty and still got penalised when Sandow didn't a few weeks ago. So inconsistent and exactly what most people with common sense thought would happen.
I would have given the Glenn try. Looked to have his hand on it with downward pressure.
The penalty to Australia with the Nightingale obstruction was terrible. Kiwis scrum at least.
The obstruction rule has changed yes but that doesn't mean Gallen can run through then Smith can run behind him. That changes the rule back to how it was in the Hodges try in Origin last year.
Nightingale was flipped over in a tackle in the first half but no penalty. Isaac Luke did the same thing to Slater and was penalised. Just inconsistent.

But if the first half is an indication of the international footy to come, then bring on the World Cup.