The manner of the Wallabies' defeat to the All Blacks in the Bledisloe Cup opener has predictably met with a wave of resentment from across the Tasman and beyond, as the rugby world collectively scratches its head at referee Mathieu Raynal's contentious call at Melbourne.
With time almost expired, just a kick to touch stood in the way of a famous Wallabies comeback win, but after repeated warnings from the Frenchman, first-five Bernard Foley was deemed to have wasted too much time in the process.
The All Blacks were awarded a scrum and Jordie Barrett did the rest.
As you'd expect, the backlash from Australia was swift and scathing.
"I've been commentating for over 20 years," Wallabies great Tim Horan told Stan Sport. "I thought it was a disgraceful decision by the referee and I thought he cracked under pressure.
"I reckon you could have another 15 referees - big referees for World Rugby - that would have taken that calmly and wouldn't have got overhauled by the experience.
"Ninety seconds left in the game and he cracked under pressure in one of the biggest moments, one the biggest games here in Australia. It was a disgraceful decision and World Rugby need to look at it.
"You've got 50,000 people here, so Bernard Foley is trying to hear whether there’s time or time off, but the big referees make decisions at that late part of the game and they're calm about it.
"I just thought it was a disgraceful decision and everyone in the stadium, everyone watching, probably thinks the same thing."
Former Wallabies Owen Finegan and Matt Giteau weighed in on social media over a call Giteau described as "the worst I've seen".
Former England international, turned writer for The Times UK Stuart Barnes agreed with Giteau, calling Raynal's decision one of "abject stupidity".
"The match in Melbourne between Australia and New Zealand had it all. Thrills, spills, great tries, moments of aberration - but more than anything else, it will be remembered for a decision made by the referee, Mathieu Raynal, that will forever be regarded somewhere between the worst and most bizarre that international rugby has yet to witness.
"It almost certainly cost Australia a rare win against their great rivals.
"Foley was doing what any kicker in the world would do, setting himself to make sure he didn’t slice the ball infield and, yes, taking another 5-10 seconds up. He wasn’t cynically ending the contest.
"Yet this wasn’t even an obvious example of time-wasting. He had started his kick-clearance routine, when the whistle metamorphosed a probable match-sealing kick to touch into a match-losing scrum, with New Zealand set to salvage the game in the final plays.
"Foley wasn’t ambling around with his back to the referee. He wasn’t snubbing authority.
"Whatever the laws or sub-laws of the game claim, here was a refereeing decision of abject stupidity. There was nothing worthy of turning the momentary delay of Foley into an exhausted act of madness."
Robert Kitson from The Guardian UK said Raynal's "harsh" decision helped mask the All Blacks weaknesses.
"It also obscured the fact that the All Blacks remain distinctly mortal. Yes, they sneaked it at the last, but the majority of their points came when the Wallabies were reduced to 13 or 14 men, and at no stage did the All Blacks look remotely back at the peak of their powers.
"Instead, it was a flawed, fluctuating match to give the national coaches of Ireland, England, Wales or even Scotland further encouragement about what the next 13 months might hold. Did either side look more organised than Ireland, more powerful than France, have a better lineout than England or seem as defensively inspired as Wales were on tour in South Africa?
"Even with a numerical advantage, the All Blacks often huffed and puffed, and only the sharp instincts of Richie Mo’unga and Will Jordan ultimately bailed them out.
"Clearly, there is still time to tinker selection wise, but it is in the crucial areas of tactical nous and clear thinking that New Zealand, once past masters at both, are currently diminished."
Angus Fontaine of The Guardian UK added:
"In a rollercoaster season, where every epic victory has been followed by a crushing defeat, the Wallabies had one gutsy hand on the Bledisloe Cup, until a bizarre last-minute refereeing decision turned their historic 37-34 victory into a heartbreaking 39-37 defeat.
"It was a terrible result for rugby and consigns Australia to a 20th straight Bledisloe series loss. Despite a season-best performance that was cruelled by an officiating decision that will be debated for decades, Australia now slump to their worst-ever world ranking of ninth."
On the flip side of the coin, Charles Richardson of The Telegraph UK insisted Raynal should be spared any criticism, saying the referee was right to punish the Wallabies for time-wasting in "one of the bravest and astounding calls that professional rugby has seen".
"Raynal told him on three occasions to play the ball in the final minute of the match. Clearly, the rest of the Wallabies had sensed what was about to unravel, as they were screaming at Foley to kick it too.
"Even if one thinks that it was an atrocious refereeing decision, there is no question that a man of Foley's experience and ability should have known better. He knew he was chancing his arm and that Raynal was growing impatient.
"If one plays with fire, one cannot complain at a scolding and that was exactly what Foley received - a very public scolding.
"The question now, of course, is what next? Raynal has laid down the gauntlet to referees everywhere and, who knows, fly-halves might now think twice about unnecessarily running down the clock.
"Perhaps Raynal has just inadvertently saved rugby as a spectator sport? What a thought.
"The onus is now on international referees to follow Raynal's lead, and bravely follow the Frenchman's intrepidness and be consistent, and not just with penalties, but with scrums, line-outs, waterbreaks and shots at goal."
Join us on September 24 for live updates of the second All Blacks v Wallabies Bledisloe Cup test
