Eddie Jones has criticised World Rugby for publicly admitting the TMO, Glenn Newman, was wrong to disallow Gareth Anscombe’s try during England’s 12-6 victory over Wales, suggesting that doing so shows a lack of respect towards the referee.
World Rugby’s head of referees, Alain Rolland, rang Warren Gatland on Monday to say Anscombe’s try should have been awarded while the governing body also released a statement, acknowledging that: “In accordance with law 21.1 b Wales should have been awarded a try as the Wales player grounded the ball.”
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The Wales attack coach, Rob -Howley, expressed his gratitude that World Rugby had done so after Gatland had said he would be seeking clarification from the governing body for Newman’s “terrible mistake”. Howley denied the disallowed try, which took place in the 24th minute when England were leading 12-0, ultimately cost his side victory.
Jones expressed his concern with World Rugby passing judgment on decisions retrospectively and highlighted the fact the governing body has a history of undermining its officials. During the 2015 World Cup World Rugby admitted the referee Craig -Joubert was wrong to award Australia a crucial last-gasp penalty in their quarter-final victory over Scotland.
Jones said: “I just think once the game’s done and dusted that’s the game, you can’t have retrospective refereeing of decisions being done. We’ve got to trust the referees, respect their integrity. When I say respect the referee, that’s the TV process as well, and then you leave it at that. One side’s won, one side’s lost.
“In Japan they have a great saying: at full-time there’s no side. That’s one of the traditions of rugby, you get on with it, you respect that decision. If you haven’t got the rub of the green, then you know you probably get it in the next couple of games. I think I have made myself very clear. The TMO did an excellent job.”
Jones has relocated England to west London during the first of the two Six Nations fallow weeks and yesterday oversaw the first of two full-blooded training sessions against Georgia in preparation for the trip to Scotland on Saturday week.
Jones confirmed Sam Simmonds will miss the Scotland match as well as the trip to France, while Owen -Farrell and Anthony Watson are unable to train fully this week with unspecified lower-leg injuries. Elliot Daly, meanwhile, has suffered a setback in his return from a high ankle sprain, sustaining a separate calf injury, and he will be reassessed next week. Nathan Hughes will be fit to replace Simmonds at No8. “He will be fit,” Jones said. “We will make sure he is fit.”
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England and Georgia will resume battle today for the second of the arranged training sessions as Jones sets about establishing “the most dominant scrum in the world”.
“Georgia just use their head and shoulders in different ways,” the England coach said. “There are different ways of accepting pressure in scrums – some of it’s old-fashioned, some new-fashioned. They do different things. They scrum for a living and our guys have learnt a number of different things today.”
Wales fielded an inexperienced back three against England with Liam Williams and George North not -considered match fit while Leigh Halfpenny, who pulled out of Twickenham with a foot infection, should be available to face Ireland when the aerial battle is again likely to influence the result.
In addition, the No 8 Taulupe -Faletau and the fly-half Dan Biggar
are expected to resume full training at the end of the week. “England’s kicking game was outstanding and we expect no different in Ireland,” Howley said.