To think Scotland should have won.

[flyrobynfly43]

I don't blame them for being angry.
A crazy, last-minute, wrong decision cost them the match.

I don't blame Joubert for running off! (he's probably still running)

Oh and I'm not Scottish.
Even so, I was gutted for them. They so deserved to win.

We woz robbed. Bastards!!!!

Bad reffing throughout, which makes it tough to know how it would have gone (even given that the majority disadvantaged Scotland - it's hard to know the knock on effect of any decision really).

But very, very heartbreaking for Scotland in the last 30s.

Not great from Joubert either in reffing or running off (but I might have run too if someone lobbed a bottle at me).

I'm not Scottish either, but in this house we also think they were robbed. Very unfair we felt.

Agree, it was a very unfair decision, that last penalty. The Ref is normally excellent, but on this he did make a poor decision. He was wise to run away.

No home team in the semis, sad!

The man should be struck off from refereeing further matches, the higher level ones at the very least. He completely ignored the late tackle and then moments later dishes out a penalty on something he doesn't even have verified. He showed his guilt when he pegged it off the pitch. What a monumental cockwomble.

Run Joubert Run!
blogs.virginmedia.com/files/9514/0447/4589/ForrestGump-Running.jpg

Absolutely disgraceful! It was like he had already made the decision who was going to win and no amount of the Scots brilliantly proving otherwise was going to make him change his mind. Hope he doesn't have any plans to venture north of the border any time soon. Twat

Scotland were magnificent and deserved to win.
It was a thrilling game played by an amazing team who were robbed of what should have been their advancement to the semis.

Agree OP - it was pretty bad.

YANBU. High emotions in this house watching a visibly devastated Vern Cotter trying to hold it together in the post-match interviews. And surely that has to be the end of the ridiculous 'So, losing captain, are you very disappointed?' questions from the ITV reporter. If Greig Laidlaw had flattened him, I wouldn't have blamed the guy.

My Scottish husband has tickets to the semi's - if they'd won he'd have been watching Argentina v Scotland.

Gutting. And agree with Calon re Laidlaw's interview - poor guy.

I would imagine that winning in such a manner has taken the shine off the Australian win somewhat.

Unless they are thick-skinned enough not to care.
They've got to the semi's and that's all that matters? Who knows.

Meanwhile down in the Southern Hemisphere, a more technical and less emotional analysis (from the NZ Herald):

Scotland were the architects of their demise. Their use of a long throw for the final lineout, in heavy rain, was the first crucial mistake. Their failure to secure the ball cleanly was the second big error.

and

Rugby is full of what can only be described as subjective decisions and unfortunately they often decide big matches. The later they occur in a game, the more they hurt because there is a lack of time for the injured party to come up with a response.

and

Scotland, who played way beyond their reputation, needed to take out the variables and this included minimising the referee's influence. They had the winning of this game in their own hands. They blew it.

The ref ran off because he needed the toilet. He also reportedly got hit by a bottle.

Well done Scotland, and commiserrations, but your fans need to accept this with good grace. Rugby is full of 50/50 calls and if one goes against you in a game that tight, you cannot say you "deserved" to win.

If you mean, 'the ref was pissing himself', then... yes.

Joubert is a cunt.

not Scottish here but totally agree. the refereeing was blatantly biased! I don't know much about rugby but surely there has to be some sort of official complaints process to complain about that ref?

I usually go along with the accept it with good grace school of thought.

But in this instance, I think the Scottish team and their supporters were right to feel (and voice) their annoyance with the ref's crappy decision.

Scotland bodged their own line out. When that happens and play gets a bit scrappy, it is very hard to ref. If you want to beat any of the 4N or 6N teams you cannot afford to let such a thing happen at that stage of the game.

And jeepers - Scots rugby fans are getting an easy ride for their reaction.

Both teams 'deserved' to win in a way that was absolutely unambiguous. It was neck and neck, both gave it their all and I'm gutted that a great game ended like that. Yes, I'm very sad that Scotland didn't get through, but I'm also a bit sad for Australia getting their 'win' like this. Both teams deserved better.

'And jeepers - Scots rugby fans are getting an easy ride for their reaction.'

They are? There were no reports of riots or violence or fights from last night.

Joubert's performance is being reviewed, just like after all matches.

I'm not sure the penalty-or-scrum decision was completely clear cut, even on the replay. And the TMO isn't allowed to be used for this sort of thing. Heaven only knows why....

I think his sprinting off the pitch just inflamed everything. Would be interested to know whether a bottle was really thrown.

It still hurts today. Can't believe it. I don't know enough about the rules to know about this decision but if big Gav Hastings puts his head above the parapet to declare his disgust it must have been shocking. He is apt to lay into the Scottish team for their failings.

Toad - Absolutely agree. Scotland played very well, and their determination was impressive - if they maintain their form, they will be a real threat at the Six Nations. But that line out did not make any sense. Both teams lost ground and points when they were doing long passes. The Australians slowed down the game enormously with long passes at one point, giving Scotland all the time in the world to set up their defense.

I am neither an Australia or Scotland fan, and I understand why supporters were upset, but that's how the game goes. You win some decisions, and you lose others, but it all evens out in the end. My son plays rugby, and my husband is training to be a ref, and one of the key learnings is that you accept the ref's decision - no talking back, you say "yes, Sir".

Joubert is one of the best refs in the world, and while he may not be perfect - he did a good job. He also disallowed that Australian try, when nobody else was questioning it. And by the way, the Scottish fans were certainly ugly when they were booing the penalty kick - that goes against the spirit of the game.