Fri 11 Nov 2016 | 09:18
Scotsman's haunting Craig Joubert movie ahead of Wallabies rematch

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Ahead of Scotland facing Australia again this weekend, one Scottish fan has put together this dramatic piece that tells the story of what it was like to live the drama of their 2015 Rugby World Cup knockout, and how referee Craig Joubert broke the hearts of a nation.

Graham Love is a young filmaker who you might remember from his lego rugby videos.

He, like many Scotland fans, struggled to accept what happened in the World Cup last year. As you can see in this creative piece, the pain is very much still there.

"Like most Scots I was deeply traumatized by the events of October 18th last year. As the old adage goes, it's the hope that kills you," Graham told us. "And after a nip and tuck match, with time fast running out it really looked as if the unthinkable was going to happen, that the Wooden Spoon holders were going to triumph over the Rugby Championship winners.

"Our entire world was suddenly turned & promptly dropped on its head when Craig Joubert awarded THAT penalty to Australia. Now as Scotland fans, we're well versed in defeat & painful defeats. Italy 2007, Wales 2010, France 2014 to name but a few.

"However, this game meant so much more than any 6 Nations match.

"To put things in context, I'm part of a generation born after the glory days of the 1990 Grandslam, but too young to appreciate the 5 Nations triumph of 99. Quite simply winning that quarter final would've been the biggest result I've ever known.

"So to come that close to a SF only to then have it snatched away from us in the last minutes by a referee who then did a runner at full time was incredibly galling.

"Now in the immediate aftermath of the game we were told to move on by the fans of other nations, however anyone who's ever scanned the lyrics of our national anthem will know we're not exactly the sort to just let things drop..!

"Plus World Rugby's ruling the following day that Joubert's decision had indeed been incorrect did little to help the healing process." 

Mr Love says that the year has gone fast, but the haunting memory of that day remains.

"Flash forward to this year and as the 18th of October loomed into view, I knew I had to make something to mark this most challenging of anniversaries. To begin with the initial idea was rather hazy, but it soon grew arms and legs!

"As for filming itself, well that was rather challenging, I wanted our reactions to be based off of the actual match footage, however the first day of filming ended prematurely, as we just couldn't bring ourselves to revisit those last 2 minutes.

"Thankfully we managed to confront our demons the following day. After that it took another week so for me to finish up my scenes and edit it all together. 'Joubert' was finally finished just before midnight on the 17th of October.

Has he finally learned to forgive and perhaps try to forget?

"Looking back at it now, I'm really glad we made it. As it certainly helped me to see the bigger picture.

"I now no longer hold Craig Joubert solely responsible for our defeat that day... instead he now shares the blame alongside fellow officals Pascal Gaüzère & TMO! Seriously though, how did none of them see the shoulder charge off the ball on Hogg!?!? That was the match right there, ARGHHHHH!!"

Just a bit of fun, and nicely made. Catch the teamsheets for Scotland vs Australia here

10 Comments

  • danknapp
    12:39 PM 15/11/2016

    Yes, but if we all got along RD would be a terribly boring place.

  • danknapp
    12:38 PM 15/11/2016

    Cous cous.

  • stroudos
    2:04 AM 13/11/2016

    Stu, we've watched the same footage. I say tomato you say tomayto. In this case Monsieur Poite said tomayto also. I still maintain I'm right. :)

  • stroudos
    6:32 PM 12/11/2016

    Well a bit simple perhaps, but I've been sharing my I'll-informed opinions on thee esteemed pages for long enough now that I don't think one more can hurt.

    I do get a bit sensitive when I see rugby refs being attacked, and satire/parody only offers minimal mitigation. It's a slippery slope mate - one minute you're having a laugh, the next you've got half a dozen players barracking the ref and waving imaginary cards.

    Just to clarify, I didn't complain about the other refereeing decision, I just pointed out that mistakes happen.

  • stroudos
    6:25 PM 12/11/2016

    Brilliant DrG!

  • drg
    5:48 PM 12/11/2016

    Errr Stan....it's spelled Saltire.....

  • stu1616
    11:50 AM 12/11/2016

    So this isn't the first time I've seen the Laidlaw knock-on argument and I feel the need to address it. If you play back the video you linked at 0.25 speed you can see that just before Laidlaw picks it up the ball does clearly move, but the movement of the ball is parallel to the 5m line and so not conclusively forward. It is also not clear from the sole angle provided that this movement of the ball is caused by a touch from Laidlaw's hand or Denton's boot (which seems more likely to me based on the speed it moves at, but that's just me guessing) and so it is fair to say that the referee had a better view to judge whether there was a knock on. To call it blatant really isn't fair.

    Aside from that, Poite was already holding for a penalty from the scrum. Any prediction of the outcome of the final 6 minutes beyond that would be nothing more than conjecture

  • stanislavski101
    11:50 AM 12/11/2016

    Don't know if you're pretty simple or you've missed the ENTIRE point of this video!

    THE WHOLE FUCKING VIDEO IS SATIRE

    Hes not bitching about the game ffs, he's parodying the reaction of Scotland fans ya spoon.

    NB in referring to "a sore loser still complaining about a refereeing decision a year after the event" you ACTUALLY COMPLAIN ABOUT A REFEREEING MISTAKE A YEAR AGO

    Dad probably sells Avon tbf

  • drg
    10:27 AM 12/11/2016

    I thought it was amusing...

  • stroudos
    9:42 AM 12/11/2016

    Well I don't think the oxygen of your own feature on Rugbydump should be given to a sore loser still complaining about a refereeing decision a year after the event. I know the voodoo and the dartboard are meant in gest, but this is footballers' BS reminiscent of the David Beckham effigies in 1998.

    Let's not forget how flukey Scotland were in getting this far anyway. The previous match v Samoa, missing their talismanic captain and wrecking ball Alesana Tuilagi, because of a genuinely heinous decision by the officials (banned for running along a rugby pitch with the ball in his hands). How about that blatant knock-on by Laidlaw directly under the nose of ref Romaine Poite - https://youtu.be/rjAn5IB5XU4?t=2m30s. Pretty crucial mistake by the ref in a "nip and tuck match, with time fast running out" - sound familiar?

    I know you (Graham) are just trying to have a bit of fun, but bitching and moaning about referees belongs in football, and not in this wondeful game.

    On the other hand, I would love to see more of the Lego re-enactments, they were bloody brilliant. :)