New Zealand were worthy winners. Faster, sharper, more powerful in contact, and when they played at pace, Ireland struggled to contain them. The nuance the All Blacks showed going forward, varying the point of attack and dominating the collisions on foot of quick ruck ball, was a significant factor in their victory.This is not a ‘coulda, woulda, shoulda’ Irish lament, or an attempt to deflect. It’s an expression of genuine concern over consistency in officiating. World Rugby should just put the laws of the game in the bin if Luke Jacobson’s shoulder to the head of Josh van der Flier is a yellow card offence. The New Zealand flanker launches himself off his feet, airborne, with a tucked shoulder, his arm by his side initially before it brushes against James Ryan as the Ireland secondrow stands up. It doesn’t stop him from wrapping as a primary action. Wrapping would have been more of an afterthought based on body position and the softish brush against Ryan’s back. Van der Flier had beaten the New Zealand cleaners ‘to the shoulder’, as it’s referred to, and there was only one way to remove or eject him at that point. Illegally, with brutish force.If the game’s Foul Play Review Officer (FPRO), England’s Andrew Jackson, thinks Jacobson’s action merits a yellow card, Lord help players and the sport. The knee-jerk reaction these days is to seek mitigation in everything in order to try preserve a 15-a-side contest. The tariff for the trade can be player safety. Is that reasonable?Ireland's Craig Casey, Joe McCarthy, Stuart McCloskey and Garry Ringrose protest to referee Nic Berry after the final whistle. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho TMO Ben Whitehouse drew referee Nic Berry’s attention to the incident at a breakdown near the Irish line. After viewing several replays of Jacobsen’s actions, Berry, in conversation with his fellow arbiters, adjudged it a yellow card with an off-field review. Following Jackson’s deliberations and reverting on his findings, Berry told captains Dan Sheehan and Ardie Savea that it would remain a yellow as Jacobson’s arm was “jammed by the player (Ryan) standing up”.It’s absolute piffle. Jacobsen’s actions are reckless, he’s not in control. His body is like a missile, his feet are in the air as he lunges into contact and he hits Van der Flier, who immediately grabs his head. A desperate and dangerous act. Berry kicked to touch, as is the practice these days for referees who send foul-play decisions up the line. Why wouldn’t they? Who wants to shoulder a responsibility that can be offloaded? The breakdown was a bone of contention throughout the match, as Berry decreed it a non-contestable zone for the most part.Jordie Barrett should have been pulled for at least two penalties for legitimate poaches, while Tadhg Beirne spent most of the game forlorn, poised to pilfer but effectively told to keep his hands to himself. There is a southern hemisphere interpretation when it comes to refereeing the breakdown that is more sympathetic to the attacking side – game flow and all that, but play it as you find it though.Ireland benefited too at times, especially in their 22 where they racked up penalties that would have merited a card under different auspices.New Zealand's Quinn Tupaea is tackled by Ireland's Sam Prendergast. Photograph: Phil Walter/Getty Images Speaking of Beirne and cards, he was at the heart of the game’s other major point of contention. New Zealand centre Quinn Tupaea’s diving one-handed attempted intercept of Bundee Aki’s pass to Beirne, initially passed muster, Berry describing it as a legitimate attempt.But TMO Whitehouse intervened and Berry changed his mind, awarding Ireland a penalty. However, if Tupaea hadn’t illegally intervened, the ball would have gone to Beirne, who could have raced through the gaping hole in front of him to get away upfield. Berry said there was a defender; there was, but in a different postcode, and there were also other Irish attackers in the picture. It was so obviously a yellow card for preventing a line-break that there was almost a comedic element to the penalty-only ruling. It’s worth pointing out that Berry made the decision having had the benefit of several replays. This wasn’t a decision based on a one-off, real-time viewing.And to keep it balanced, Jimmy O’Brien’s grab on New Zealand outhalf Reuben Love while the latter was in the air would have been carded on another day.World Rugby took Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada to task for criticising match officials. There is a way and means of doing so, but it will be interesting to see what, if anything, happens regarding about the Jacobson incident.