Ben O'Keeffe has defended his performance in last year's World Cup quarter-final between France and the Springboks, telling the DSPN podcast he is "still proud" of his work in the 29-28 thriller despite fierce criticism from French quarters.
The New Zealand official came under fire for a series of contentious calls in the last-eight encounter, which saw the defending champions edge past the tournament hosts in one of the most dramatic matches in World Cup history. Among the flashpoints were Etzebeth's slap-down near the tryline, which the officiating team ruled had travelled backwards, and Kolbe's charge-down of a Thomas Ramos conversion amid claims the wing had started his run prematurely. A late penalty awarded after Smith contested a breakdown also drew scrutiny, with suggestions the flanker's hand was on the ground during the turnover attempt.
France captain Antoine Dupont questioned the standard of officiating after the defeat, remarking that he was "not sure the refereeing was up to the challenge," comments that intensified online criticism of O'Keeffe and his team. Speaking to Martin Devlin, O'Keeffe acknowledged the scrutiny that accompanies high-profile fixtures. "There's that old saying that pressure is a privilege," he said. "The more high-profile games you do, the more in the headlines you're going to be."