We’ve found a vote the Scottish people are willing to get behind.
Earlier this year they voted against independence from Britain but our Celtic cousins have been so enraged by a certain South African they are now exercising their democratic right.
Well, sort of.
We’re not sure how this will be policed, but Scots are voting in their thousand(s) to have Craig Joubert banned from their country after the referee’s horrendous decision in the closing stages of Sunday’s World Cup quarter-final.
Scotland were seconds from an unlikely but thoroughly deserved semi-final spot when Joubert incorrectly adjudged their replacement prop Jon Welsh to be offside.
Bernard Foley kicked the three points which should never have been on offer as Wallaby scrum-half Nick Phipps was the last man to play the ball before Welsh.
Phipps’ admission later, combined with Joubert’s refusal to consult with his touch judge and sprint down the tunnel after he blew the final whistle, left the Scottish team, and nation, a quivering mass of rage.
Cue an online petition.
There's already a petition to ban the referee from Scotland. #AsOne https://t.co/jORwdukWau pic.twitter.com/VZIws5h8iA
— Jamie Ross (@JamieRoss7) October 18, 2015
It is not just the internet masses who were left fuming however. Scotland’s former Lions captain Gavin Hastings said he was “disgusted” with Joubert, whose error cost Scotland a place in next Sunday’s semi-final against Argentina.
“It’s a tragedy for Scotland,” said Hastings. “It’s a bit of a tragedy for rugby. If I see referee Craig Joubert again, I’m going to tell him how disgusted I am. It was disgraceful that he ran straight off the pitch at the end like that.
“The referee is not expected to make the right decision all the time. That’s what the TMO system is in place for. This is the quarter-final of a World Cup. This is the highest end of our sport and they have to get these decisions right.”
World Cup rules state that Joubert could not consult the TMO for the final, fatal decision, but his failure to consult his touch judges, plus the harsh first-half sin-binning of Sean Maitland, left him facing the ire of rugby fans across the globe (bar Australia) this morning.
No words can express the utter contempt I have for Craig Joubert and the damage the despicable coward has inflicted on world rugby #RWC15
— Gordy Sutherland (@gordysutherland) October 19, 2015
https://twitter.com/shona_xox/status/656002683510398976
They seek him here,
they seek here there, cheating ref Craig Joubert…….— BigWelshMatt (@bigwelshmatt) October 19, 2015
https://twitter.com/robmorton92/status/656002204889956353
I hear, Craig Joubert has applied to NASA for one of those one way trips to Mars
— Scarlet INside (@ScarletINside) October 19, 2015
