Sorry, but it now looks like Etzebeth got away with one

SO, for 10 months or more I have been defending Eben Etzebeth, and by implication referee Ben O’Keeffe, for the deliberate knock on incident in South Africa‘s World Cup quarter-final against France last year.

Incredible skill and anticipation and knowledge of the law, I argued, from Etzebeth as he prevented what looked like a certain try in a game France ultimately lost by one point.

The key thing was that from the ground level tv footage – the only footage shown at the time – the ball appeared to go backwards so all bets were off despite the immediate protestations of the entire French team and their supporters. No offence, no penalty try.

Except this week the World Rugby Twitter feed started celebrating RWC2023 a year on and posted video footage of Etzebeth’s incredible intervention. From seemingly nowhere, World Rugby dug up the spider cam footage to illustrate this great virtuosity – but the problem is the footage they posted clearly shows that Etzebeth did knock the ball on and that French claims for a seven-point penalty try were legitimate. None of which makes them feel any better.