Not that they’re bitter or anything, but fans of the All Blacks have not taken their defeat at the hands of France in the World Cup quarter-finals so well.

Almost 1000 Kiwis have joined in on a special page set up on social networking site Bebo to channel abuse at rugby referee Wayne Barnes – “New Zealand’s Most wanted”. The fans accuse Barnes of failing to blow for an alleged French forward pass, after which les bleus went on to score the winning try of the match. 

Still, rugby fans are gentlemen. There are none of those nasty death threats you get after South American soccer defeats. Instead, rather more decorous punishments and curses are called for. “I hope he dies in a car fire,” says one fan. “We should put him in a lion’s den with no clothes on,” suggests another. If he ever runs into Wayne, adds yet another, “I’ll poke his eyeballs out”.

Such self-restraint. Such manners. Such dignity in defeat. It’s a class thing.

Kiwi fans go online to vent their spleen at referee Barnes – Guardian report

(Image: from YouTube)