SBW receives ref apology for wrong yellow card

Star All Black Sonny Bill Williams has revealed the referee who sinbinned him during last week's test in Paris has admitted he got the call wrong.

The experienced 44-test midfielder spoke for the first time following the Stade de France encounter, won 38-18 by the All Blacks, in Edinburgh on Thursday evening after the team naming for Saturday's (Sunday NZ time) clash against Scotland.

Williams took his brain-explosion play on the chin, after being yellow-carded and also conceding a penalty try when he batted away a French cross-kick in-goal, instead of attempting to catch the ball.

The play he made is standard in his former sport of rugby league, but not allowed in rugby.

 But Williams, who was outstanding before his 46th-minute sinbin, also revealed referee Angus Gardner of Australia had admitted afterwards he should not have brandished the yellow card on top of the penalty try.

"It was just an honest mistake," Williams said of his personal misjudgment that was a catalyst for a French second-half comeback, taking them from 31-5 to 31-18. "I guess as humans we're all allowed to make those now and them.

"I remember laying on the ground and I looked up at Jimbo (Damian McKenzie) and said, 'gee bro, am I allowed to do that?' He looked at me and just shook his head.

"It was an honest mistake, just like the ref sending me off was an honest mistake. He came out afterwards and said that he shouldn't have sent me off. The penalty [try] was awarded, and he said he made that mistake by sending me off.

"It is what it is, that's footy. But I have certainly been looking up the rulebook."

Williams was then asked to clarify that the referee had admitted to making an error on giving him the yellow card.

"He came out and said that, bro," replied Williams.

 

Photo by: SKY SPORT. Caption: Angus Gardner yellow card Sonny Bill Williams for a deliberate bat-back of the ball during the France vs All Blacks match.