Four years ago Craig Joubert was possibly my favourite referee on the planet; he's probably going to be a lifetime recipient of Christmas cards from Richie McCaw.Today, however, the closet Jock in me was greatly aggrieved, along with 6 million other Scots, at the decision he made at the end of the Australia v. Scotland game.
I have been known, throughout this tournament, to bemoan the excessive use of the TMO when making decisions. However, on the one occasion it would seem to be vindicated, it is not used, as a consequence of the RWC's idiosyncratic technicalities.
Scotland leave the tournament, the Aussies live to fight another day and through the pain, the Scots remained magnanimous in defeat.
Joubert, however, flew from Twickenham faster than the planes flying overhead, having cheated the Scots of a possible semi-final berth.
I don't doubt that the resilience of the Australians may well have secured them a victory, they are irritating buggers like that, but to go through on the basis of an official's decision, behind which he appears not to stand, diminishes an otherwise magnificent tournament.
