SPRINGBOK hooker Bongi Mbonambi’s try was the most controversial moment from the Ellis Park Test won by the world champions on Saturday. | BackpagePix
The visitors had silenced the vociferous home crowd with an early try before the Boks responded with a try by hooker Bongi Mbonambi.
However, television replays showed that Mbonambi had lost control of the ball as he crossed the tryline after a tackle from Jordie Barrett.
Referee Andrew Brace immediately awarded the try and did not send it up to TMO Brian MacNeice despite vociferous remonstrations from All Black captain Scott Barrett.
Robertson was questioned about the validity of the Mbonambi try, but he was not prepared to engage.
“Look, I saw what you saw … we saw what you saw,” he told the media. “We can’t say any more. It’s a dangerous area if you start talking about referees and stuff.”
Robertson instead focused on his team’s performance, with the All Blacks running in four tries against the much-vaunted Bok defence to build up a lead they held onto with 10 minutes to go in the match.
Their discipline let them down during the final stages, when the Boks were spurred on by the Ellis Park crowd that had found their voice again. Replacement prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi was yellow-carded for a defensive foul close to his tryline.
“I am so proud of the effort and the way we defended, it was just a little bit of ill-discipline by the lads that cost us,” said Robertson.
“But those are the fine margins in Test footy. Some of the penalties were down to a bit of interpretation, but those small moments lead to a bit of momentum and the game changes.
“We still had opportunities to win the game, we have just got to execute better. Ellis Park is a hell of an arena – what an atmosphere tonight and the crowd really gets involved.
“But that is where we thrive, we love those moments.”
All Blacks skipper Scott Barrett echoed Robertson’s feelings and believes his young team will be better prepared for the cauldron that awaits them this weekend at the Cape Town Stadium.
“The Springboks showed that they are a class team and we were not quite good enough,” Barrett said.
“We were good for 62 minutes, but there were two key moments after kick-offs when we could not get out of our half and they punished us.
“It was a huge effort and I’m proud of the boys, but it was not quite enough. We will regroup quickly. For a lot of the guys it was their first time here, and it is pretty intense.”
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