Springboks vs All Blacks: Referee Carley and TMO Adamson rated

New Zealand defeated South Africa in the first of a four-Test series, with referee Matthew Carley and TMO Mike Adamson now facing ratings out of 10. The match took place at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday.

The focus is on how the English referee and Scottish television match official handled several key moments during the All Blacks’ victory. Adamson intervened more than once during the Test, but Carley did not always accept or follow the TMO’s input.

That has raised questions about the working relationship between the two officials. One view is that Carley made the correct decisions by overruling Adamson, while another is that the referee should have given greater weight to the additional video evidence available to the TMO.

The debate comes after a result that also affected South Africa’s standing in world rugby. The Springboks lost the World Rugby No 1 ranking following their defeat, while New Zealand began the four-Test rivalry series with the advantage.

Carley’s performance and Adamson’s contribution are being assessed separately, with supporters invited to score each official from one to 10. The lowest mark represents an unacceptable performance, while the highest indicates that there were no complaints about the officiating.

The Johannesburg Test was the opening meeting in the series, leaving three matches still to be played. For now, the officials’ decisions remain a major part of the discussion around New Zealand’s win and South Africa’s ranking setback.