World Rugby believes the controversial decision to disallow Sam Underhill’s late try in England’s one-point defeat by New Zealand was correct and the governing body is satisfied the referee Jérôme Garcès did not contravene its new TMO law trial during the incident.
Underhill scored what looked like being the match-winning try after 76 minutes, having gathered the loose ball after Courtney Lawes had charged down TJ Perenara’s kick. Garcès at first awarded the try but then consulted the television match official, Marius Jonker, who ruled: “It’s offside so you need to change your on-field decision to a penalty.”
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Under World Rugby directives a TMO trial was introduced for the most recent round of matches to give back responsibility to the on-field referee and it states that “try scoring should be an on-field decision with the referee being responsible but the team of four [officials] can all contribute”. Although Garcès was within a few metres of Lawes at the time of the incident, he appeared to go against the directive by consulting with Jonker.
Allowing Jonker to make the final decision would also seem to contravene the directive that requires “compelling evidence” for the TMO to intervene with World Rugby considering Lawes to have been marginally offside. Ultimately however, the governing body believes a number of mitigating factors meant Garcès was within his rights to defer the final decision to the TMO, chiefly the poor weather which made visibility of Twickenham’s big screens more difficult.
Debate has also raged as to whether Lawes was offside but World Rugby believes he was at the moment Perenara lifted the ball. Precisely this sort of incident was a key focus of last week’s meeting between referees and coaches with a re-emphasis on the definition of when the ball is out – namely a lifting action rather than placing hands on it. Even that is a bone of contention, however, with some arguing the ball was already out of the ruck. The wider point is this is the second high-profile match in a row to feature late controversy around officiating. Seven days earlier it was Angus Gardner who ruled Owen Farrell’s tackle on Andre Esterhuizen was legal. He asked for a replay of the incident but then took the decision himself – ironically before the new TMO trial had started – whereas Garcès did not.
In both instances the decisions directly affected the outcome of the result and in both cases consensus is nigh-on impossible to come by, and all at a time when rugby union’s exposure is at its highest and casual supporters are left confused.
The New Zealand coach, Steve Hansen, was certain the right decision had been made, claiming Lawes was so far offside he was “in the half-back’s back pocket” but Eddie Jones refused to be drawn on the incident.
Asked if he would raise it privately with World Rugby he said: “I don’t need to; [the officials] made the decision. At the end of the day, the scoreboard says New Zealand 16 England 15. Nothing is going to change that so what do you want me to say? I can’t change that. I can’t change the result, so chasing after that is like chasing after a dog that doesn’t want to stay at home.”
Meanwhile, Sir Clive Woodward believes it was decision‑making rather than the officials which cost England victory. Woodward said they were wrong to kick to the corner rather than at goal in the second half and questioned why they did not attempt more drop-goals.
“That was a game England should have won and I’d be pretty cranky this morning if I was in Eddie’s shoes,” Woodward told the BBC.
“If you are five points up, you drop a goal and you’re eight points up and you win the game. Build the score. Everyone is harping on about the try or no try by Sam Underhill but for me not to take those points was a big error. These leadership decisions on the field of play are absolutely key, especially as the clock counts down. They are what win or lose you a World Cup and we need to get a little bit better.”