This archive report was first published on 24 September 2019.
On the opening weekend of the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, several controversies arose, prompting World Rugby to review the refereeing standards.
According to a statement from World Rugby, the match officials team recognized that their performances were not consistently meeting the standards set by the governing body.
"Following the usual review of matches, the match officials team recognise that performances over the opening weekend of Rugby World Cup 2019 were not consistently of the standards set by World Rugby and themselves," the statement said.
World Rugby expressed confidence in the highest standards of officiating moving forward, citing a proactive approach, a strong team ethic, and a superb support structure.
Several incidents, including a high shot by Australia's Reece Hodge on Fiji's Peceli Yato and a head-high tackle by All Blacks captain Kieran Read on South Africa's Pieter-Steph du Toit, went unpunished by officials but were later cited and will face disciplinary hearings.
World Rugby acknowledged initial challenges with the use of technology and team communication, which impacted decision-making, but emphasized that these issues are being addressed by the team of 23 match officials to enhance consistency.
