England fan here, just want to congratulate the Boks on their back-to-back finals. They dug in deep and fought till the end. Fair play lads 👏👏👏

Glad to see the power of Heinrich Brussow recognised. The only player I have seen boss Richie McCaw around the park. He was criminally underrated in SA.

I'm sorry, regarding the tackler in the PSD penalty, Mostert moves away in less than a second... should he rather have vanished? 😂

Love the Heinrich Brussow respect. Best jackler ever, was unlucky that Jake White didn’t believe in that style of player. But he was immense under Pieter de Villiers.

How fast do you want Mostert to roll away, he was quick and back toward Boks

2:50, I don't get it the tackler (number 5 green) moved away within 1 second, could not have done it any quicker, so that doesn't seem like a valid reason.

Rugby has a real problem with laws that are so often 50:50 calls but that lead to penalties that are often in game-changing situations. As Nigel pointed out, in the Argentina v NZ question, scrum penalties are a common example, but it’s also a problem in rucks around not releasing the ball, or the tackler not releasing or rolling away, or the jackaller not holding his weight. So many close decisions are required by the referee, but the outcomes are incredibly significant. If rugby doesn’t somehow solve these problems, I think fans will eventually get turned off. What’s the point of supporting your team if whether they win or lose is ultimately decided by the referee?

Women are in love with the English rugby team. No one else can be on top for 77 minutes and still come second.

Its really great to have Nigel Owens explaining rules and decisions . First time I have heard an explanation of what's going on in a scrum . Very helpful Thankyou !

Having a phenomenal ref like Mr Owens, break down all the calls of the week is a great development in the game. Great for transparency from RWC. This also helps the refs help the fans understand the wonderful job they do with split second decision making. Please make this a regular thing in Rugby you cannot underestimate the good it does for the glorious game.

2:50 how could the tackler have moved away any faster than what he did? He had the English player on his back pushing him down.

Why don't they talk about Owen farrel laying on his back an kicking the ball out of the hands of the scrumhalf

Why was Farrell not sighted by the TMO when he lifted his knee and prevented a decent pass on SA attack?

The irony with Brussow is he wouldn't have even played if Schalk Burger didn't get injured/banned. I remember clear as day it was 09 Lions Series. At that time SA didn't believe in "small" flankers. Kolbe and Arendse would've never have made the team. And they didn't believe in fetchers either. But Brussow with his ruck wins contributed hugely to our Lions series win as well as our Trinations win (beating NZ twice that year).

What!? he immediately moved out of the way, the only possible way to move out the way any faster would be to not make the tackle at all and then roll away

That last scrum penalty was a correct call to me. I know its possible, but very difficult for a tighthead to drive inwards if both players either side of him are pushing straight. View from above shows both England players pointing inward while only Koch is at an angle (Bongi straight as an arrow). This is what happens when you over-extend and go to your knees in a scrum.

Nigel I disagree regarding the PSDT penalty. The tackler moved away quickly, very quickly, it looked like the ball carrier and tackler still had momentum from the tackle when the first England player came to clean so he couldn't move any faster. This is a bit of a weak explanation.

With PSdT, Mostert wasn't penalized and that wasn't O'Keefe's call. He penalized du Toit for not lifting the ball. Understand you may have called it differently.

What about the Farrel that played the ball on his back with his knees against the Boks? Should that not have been a yellow card? Great recognition of Brussow though

The boot wasn't thrown away, it was thrown OUT of the way. Big difference.

2:50 not sure about this as to me it looks like the clear out is coming from the side rather than over the player. Not sure no. 5 did anything wrong as he is moving out immediately.

Adding some more info to the scrum. Once Genge goes to the knees, his hips swing out to re-engage and compete. Then he scrums in and because he is on the loose head side, it forces more for Koch to be pushed inward. Penalty is the correct call.

I was so impressed how much we improved throughout this competition🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Well done Springboks hopefully we’ll get you next time. All the best in the final👍👍

South Africa is taking it 🇿🇦

Why dont you pick up the part were the boks are in England 15 one of england players behind the maul on the ground and as soon as SA pick the ball up he lift his knee, to me that should have being a yellow card.

Have been waiting for full clarity on that scrum; 3:30 should anyone just want to see this incident. Thanks Nigel Owens

Question: In the last scrum of England v SA.. surely not having the ball put in the scrum has an impact on the decision?

Heinrich Brussouw. Legend in the game of Rugby, wonder where he is now.

It's been over 2 weeks now since the final and there are a few refereeing/TMO decisions I would like Nigel's clarification on. I'm not counting the red card, under the current rules it's pretty clear why it was given.

Would love to see your take on NZ vs Springbok final

Snyman throws the boot away so it doesn't impinge anyone on the field of play and potentially causes an injury. Sugeesting that this is in any way against the spirit of the game or ungentlemanly is EXTREMELY prejudiced.

Regarding S.A. v Eng scrum pen. It’s hard to disagree with your breakdown of it. But O’Keefe didn’t call it like that. He ignored the knee. Then called Advantage when the scrum moved sideways at pace. Him calling advantage must have meant no S.A. infringement. Or he would have blown for the original pen once he saw the infringement. Like you said, half the issue with scrums are it’s super intricate and subjective. Really hard for a casual viewer to get invested. In all honesty, a lot of the time Refs don’t know what’s going on. They see a scrum going forward and penalise against the other team.

Well now I've seen Nigels' opinion, I can accept it 😁 Seriously though while England were maybe the better team for most of that game, it's hard to say they deserved the win. Those needless penalties were one thing - not forgetting that the boks could have put two penalties over before Pollard came on, but chose to go for the corner - but I knew we'd lost it when Marler came off.

I'm pretty new to rugby, and I love it. But, man, it's really hard to catch or understand many of the penalties etc that happen so quickly, and the rules seem so intricate, and even on a lot of replays, I just can see it without annotations on the video. The referees must be extremely quick with their eyes and their decisions. Incredibly tough job. Hats off to them.

Felt slightly aggrieved with that scrum penalty when earlier in the game several SA players in the scrum put a knee down, the commentator even complimented them on being strong enough to get back up and keep the scrum going.

Nigel is a gem.

Loves these informational insights that Nigel gives

Nigel still waiting for your roundup of the final! Cmon boyo!

Knee on the ground is an automatic penalty. O'Keefe should have blown for it earlier . Either way, it was a penalty to SA.

Can you imagine if Boxing and MMA did this with referees analysing calls, it would expose the corruption but Rugby seems to be more transparent than any other sport I've ever loved.

Heinrich Brussow is LEGENDARY!! The daylight rule really killed his game play

How often is a player penalised for not rolling away when he is prevented from doing so by an opposing player blocking his exit?

Thanks Nigel Owens for all giving to rugby. And your videos at this world cup.

Brilliant analysis on the scrum Nigel. Thankyou, that makes sense now.

The ref didn't penalize the tackler(Mostert) for not rolling, it seems he wanted Pieter steph to lift the ball off the ground and not hold it down. He even shouts "no lift"

This World Cup has been excellent. We just need a good final now.

A question regarding head on head tackles. Does the ball carrier have any responsibility to avoid head to head tackles?

Heinrich Brussow was amazing and very strong. Should have mentioned how Scott Barrett got a yellow but Farrell didn't for the exact same offence.

Can we have Nigel doing a regular food segment, please? That crepe looked amazing.

Think the Tuilagi one is harsh. BO’K said that he “pushed” Reinach first.

Heinrich Brussouw was a great and very strong player. Good memory there Nigel.

Owen, look back at 2:52. VERY hard to release a tackled player faster than was the case. With respect, I disagree with your interpretation here, I believe PSDT leaned briefly on his right hand while pulling the ball with the left, that I believe was the reason for the penalty. (harsh but fair)

Hello sir just a quick question is it and offence for a flanker to put theirs knees on the ground when the ball is in ?? Many thanks

Spot on Nigelspot on. Thank you. 👏

So how is Farrell’s interference from the floor not a yellow then?? 🤣

Okeefe was hoping the knee on the ground wouldn’t have an effect on the scrum so he didn’t have to call a penalty. The boot thrown away lol , one minute it’s a tough call when a knee goes to ground, to call a penalty. But throwing a boot 5 metres is a penalty

How about considering the next scenario when RG Snyman tossed Courtney's boot to the side.... Snyman made the tackle and in the act he got up with CL's boot in his hand. If he dropped it right there, the stray boot could've been in the way of play. He lobbed it some 5 yards away and it didn't quite look malicious. I think had he aimed to be unsportsmanlike, he could easily have thrown it into the crowd? Then CL would not have found it... @nigelowens

Bok fan here, first for me to watch a simplified breakdown of some of the regulations on field by Nigel. A BIG thank you to Nigel for this, i will admit that i was not a big fan of yours at some point in time, but the fact that you willing to explain regulations and it's intended applications is real nice !, i might be hated for saying this, but i think there is great differences in how these are applied during games, and i think it's one of the biggest reasons of conflict in the sport. During the past RWC there seem to have been great effort put in place to try avoid this, and i do value this. I just HOPE for ongoing effort to be made to promote unbiased decisions during games. Question, could you give us an indication of what happened just before the final whistle during the finals, any wrongs or not ? That banana and choc dish you had, for a moment it sounded like you said "another word" 😂 , in South Africa we call those pancake's, and mostly enjoy those with cinnamon sugar Also, i enjoyed the tourist view you gave of Paris, as i have never had the privilege of getting to experience it !

7:08 the lady at the cafe absolutely losing it 🤣

what happened when maro itoje tackled a player on the ground, was it legal?

Can't wait to hear Owen's analysis of the refereeing in the final.....

In the Du Toit incident, the tackler clearly rolls away immediately. He also has no impact on the contest for the ball. Wrong decision to penalize him. There was a similar decision against Kolisi, also hard to understand. There was also the decision against Etzebeth, where the last player wasn’t bound. Just a comment on the last scrum, the English loosehead goes to his knee twice, then scrums inward. The referee is clear in his explanation, who’s commentary can be heard as it happens.

What will stepping on a boot do to your ankle?

Ok I'm a peanut-brain, but: "The South African tackler (at 2:49 ) has not moved out of the way?" Franco Mostert, I take it? How could he have moved out of the way any quicker than he did!? He was back on the green side within a second or two.

Peter Steph has his right hand on the ground supporting himself, defo penalty for that alone.

need this for the RWC final asap. skip the politics, just release the video. you know what bits need challenging.

Du Toit looked to clearly have his hands and not supporting his weight on the ground to me

Hard to imagine how Franco could have moved faster out of the way on the tackle…

Good to see England had the best team in the final. Well done to the officiating team, all English.

The referee was desperate to get South Africa through, so was always going to give a penalty near the end of such a tight game. You could see it coming!

O'Keefe tried to not penalise England 3 times on that scrum (2 resets) he didn't penalise the knee down immediately because he didn't want to have to do it. As soon as BOTH props bore un, he goes back to the first (and now actual third) infringement.

This is unbelievable. The tackler moved out of the way immediately!

No mention of Itoje making a crucial tackle while he was lying on the ground? Worse then the Farrel leg-lift for me.

PSDT's right hand is on the ground, obviously used to support his weight - how is that a legal position? Same with Kwagga in the QF.

Can't wait for the Whistle Watch of the Final to have the GOAT Owen tell everyone what happened, why it happened and in some cases... what should have happened.

Nigel are you allowed to provide an honest assessment of refereeing (especially TMO impact) of the final? Its now Thursday, its been plenty of time!

Question about the Du Toit/ Mostert penalty. Doesn't the tackler get a certain amount of time to get out of the way. In real time Mostert tackled and tried to jump to the side (so out of the way of the scrumhalf) all in one motion. Secondly; why isn't Ben Earl penalised for entering from the side rather than through the gate where Mitchel was approaching from.

Thank you for that nod towards my AB's Nigel !! Toss of a coin to me. Too close to call. Looking forward to a fantastic game though xx

Is there going to be a whistle watch after the final? 🙋🏽‍♂️

YOU'VE NEVER HAD A CREPE BEFORE?! They're the best. Glad you got to have one

When are you planning to whistle watch the final?

Uncle Nigel please could you explain if you look at the South African vs England game at Minute 37:30 why the high tackle on Cheslin Kolbe was not a red card offence? (Dont know all the rules)

Oh give over. Cant overshadow thd boks digging deep n deserving a hard fought victory in the end by one maybe maybe not decision. Thats not on! The right team are in the final against new zealand. Well done the boks. From england ❤

Regarding the scrum, the referee had his arm out to indicate advantage to SA when the scrum pressure was applied, and called the advantage as soon as the scrum started moving inwards - the delay before calling the penalty had nothing to do with the "interpretation" but only the application of the rule. Nigel Owens confirmed earlier a player can not participate if he is on the ground, which Genge was. As for the delay, it was SA's ball and it was coming back to Faf de Klerk, in most cases referees allow the game to proceed, to see if the advantaged team could benefit, which did not materialise, therefore the whistle and penalty call. As for the PSdT call, both he, and Ben O'Keefe "interpreted" it incorrectly. Mostert did well to get away so quickly with being impeded by an opponent - luckily that mistake did not affect the result. Ben O'Keefe should be commended for stamping out the shithousery (Tiulagi and Farrell, eventhough Marler got away with some) which the home unions are famous for - by doing this he curtailed the escalation of this and ensured we did not have a situation like there is with every Lions tour. (During the 2009 Lions tour there were a couple of great examples of Brussauw's strength when he sorted the Lions out) I have not seen a game yet where the refereeing was absolutely flawless, but O'Keefe was fair. I don't believe Snyman threw the boot away to be unsportsmanlike, more because it was in the way! It was where play was taking place and it could cause a hinderance, a trip or injury - loose objects lying about unattended on the field of play is like a landmine - you step on it, and you have problems.

Ref lifted arm immediately when knee went on ground and only blew it a few seconds later. What about England #5 shoulder charging SA #5 in about 15th minute, directly in front of the NZ ref, nothing? crickets?

The crepes, I gave my compliments to the waitress for the fantastic chocolate sauce, "Yes" she said a very special sauce she said and walked away just to reappear with a plastic container that read "Nutella", you want some more?

A knowledgeable mensch. What a pleasure. Thank you.

i call for Nigel to always ref a final in any competition of rugby

Ive tried to time Sous with my stopwatch. He has rolled away about 0.8 seconds after making the tackle before PSDT makes the turnover. That one still has me scratching my head, mate.

Ref played advantage when the knee dropped, and when the props pushed sideways, the advantage accrued or crystallized. Just like a double knock on. The first offence is penalized.

I think the ref also gave the penalty on the balance of pressure. If a prop is making a mistake it's most likely going to be the one from the team who've lost the last few scrums.

Odd the comment that the tackler didn't move out of the way.. NZ players always roll out of the way into oncoming players. They never go out on their own side and never get penalised.

re throwing the boot away, I think it is a safely issue. He just tossed it away from the play, not like he threw it into the crowd or anything, If he just dropped it someone could stand on it and roll an ankle. (eg Glenn Magrath in 2005 ashes)

What about that time when Jean De Villiers tackled Daniel Carter when he was running ball in hand. Surely that's a red card.

At 6:20 in the video, Owens says that it was "ungentlemanly conduct" but surely that is purely a subjective interpretation rather than anything that falls within the law? One could equally argue that having a boot lying around during active play is a safety hazard on the pitch and that, by throwing it away, Snyman is removing it. One could equally land on the point that it is a very "gentlemanly" thing to do after all.

Rg throwing the boot away isnt ungentlemanly. There is a game going on, a ruck which he is involved in. Whats on his mind is getting back up and back onside, not being petty. He throws it a couple metres to the side to get it out of the way. Its not like the tackled player would want it back right that instance anyway.

Guess the TMO sweep did not pickup Owen Farrell playing the ball while lying flat on his back. 🤷‍♂️ Interesting how the TMO chooses what they see and what they don't

Mostert immediately tried to move away but was knocked down by an incoming English player which made it look like he was obstructing. One of those difficult calls.

Why not recording a video for the final😂😂😂😂

In NZ we play for advantage first, then when there is none go back to the first in fringement. So knee on the ground, signal advantage but play on. No advantage back to the penalty advantage.