SEEING the mighty All Blacks rugby team lose a game is rare indeed, but Old Monmothian Wayne Barnes had the best seat in the house last month when the Springboks ended New Zealand's world record 22-test unbeaten run.

Welsh fans will hope the Monmouth School-educated official's appointment to referee Wales against the All Blacks on Saturday 22nd November at the Millennium Stadium will jinx the Kiwis again, as the hosts bid to end their own record of going 61 years without beating them.

The last time the 35-year-old refereed the All Blacks in Cardiff was the controversial 2007 World Cup quarter-final when the New Zealanders blamed Barnes for their shock 20-18 defeat.

In their own books, All Blacks coach Graham Henry and skipper Richie McCaw blamed the IRB for appointing the youngest referee on the roster.

But New Zealander Bob Francis, a former test referee, leapt to the British referees defence, saying of Henry's criticism: "I think his comments will be ridiculed."

And Barnes, who has declined to talk to the New Zealand media ever since that 2007 game, was the man in the middle this month as South Africa snatched victory 27-25 at Ellis Park in Johannesburg – the All Blacks' first defeat since England shocked them almost two years ago 38-21 at Twickenham.

And it was the Old Monmothian's decision to award a last-minute penalty to the Springboks which decided the game, Patrick Lambie stepping up and thumping over a huge kick from deep inside his own half to overhaul the visitors.

Asked about his decision to penalise Liam Messam after his shoulder made contact with Schalk Burger's head as the Boks flanker was falling, All Blacks coach Steve Hansen made it clear he had no issues.

"I've got no problem with Barnes giving the penalty at the end," he said. "There wasn't any intention for Liam to take him high, but unfortunately that happened.

"It could have gone either way, but my heart tells me the Boks probably deserved it today. We didn't start the game well enough and they put us under a lot of pressure. Well done to the Boks. They were well overdue for a win and they got one."