All Blacks legend Justin Marshall has launched a scathing attack on Irish rugby after some supporters and pundits questioned key officiating decisions during their Nations Championship defeat to New Zealand.
Ireland were beaten 40-21 at Eden Park on Saturday, with the visitors left frustrated by two controversial incidents that they felt went against them.
Controversial incidents
The first came in the opening half when New Zealand flanker Luke Jacobson was shown a yellow card for a dangerous clearout on Josh van der Flier. The incident was referred to the bunker but the sanction was not upgraded to a 20-minute red card, allowing Jacobson to return to the field. That led to many fans being outraged at such a weak punishment for what was branded a 'sickening' incident.
There was further frustration when Quinn Tupaea escaped a yellow card after deliberately knocking the ball down. The referee ruled there was not a clear line-break opportunity, meaning the All Blacks centre was only penalised.
Marshall's response
Former Ospreys scrum-half Marshall, however, had little sympathy for the reaction from Ireland, insisting Andy Farrell's side had only themselves to blame for the defeat.
Speaking on the GBRANZ podcast, he said: 'I'm going to throw myself under the bus here, but I like doing that. They've turned into a pack of whingers, to be honest.'
'Just more recently. They feel like their performance wasn't up to standard, but it's everyone else's fault.'
'They've been blaming a couple of decisions within the game to go, 'we were ripped off, the All Blacks cheated, they always get the favourable decisions go their way, particularly at Eden Park.'
'There was this and there was that but, mate, we didn't make you drop the ball f*****g 15 times. You know how many tackles they fell off?'
'But they go straight towards, 'Quinn Tupaea, it should have been a yellow card and Jacobson should have been red.''
'You know what guys, sort out your own s*** first and don't blame everyone else.'
Self-inflicted problems
Ireland did cut the deficit to 14-7 while Jacobson was in the sin-bin, but New Zealand struck straight back despite being down to 14 players after Will Jordan capitalised on a loose pass to score.
Marshall pointed to that moment as evidence that Ireland's problems were self-inflicted rather than the result of refereeing decisions.
'They're moaning about Jacobson, but at the stage Jacobson was in the bin, they tried to run out of their own half,' he said.
'They were clunky like they were all night because the All Blacks put their pod system under pressure and stuffed up their block play. Will Jordan picks it up, and they give the All Blacks seven points.'
'You can't blame anyone else for that apart from yourselves; you've just given that away, off the back of scoring a try yourself and the All Blacks down a man.'
'You throw it along the ground and Will Jordan basically will never, ever score an easier try in his life. It's your fault so stop trying to look for excuses everywhere else, just look yourself in the mirror Ireland.'
