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I would like to draw attention to the two “knock-on”, but “try-awarded”, scenarios that occurred this past weekend in Super Rugby.
The first incident took place during the Chiefs versus Stormers game in Hamilton, New Zealand.
Tom Marshall was running towards the line, ball in hand, when a tackle was put on him from behind.
The ball was dislodged from his hands by the Stormers defender’s hand during the attempted tackle.
I’m assuming the defender did not intend to knock the ball out of Marshall’s hands and that the Chiefs player’s grip was not tight enough to hang onto it.
The ball went forward from a Chiefs’ perspective and Marshall re-gathered and dotted down to score a try.
The New Zealand commentators were quite convinced it was a knock-on by the Chiefs, but the video referee ruled that it went backwards from a Stormers’ hand and therefore the try was awarded.
I was dumbfounded by the decision, but I’m not a Stormers supporter so I didn’t say anything or comment anywhere at the time.
I thought that some Stormers supporters would be seething at that decision.
I always thought that if the ball was knocked out of your hands forward during a tackle then it was a knock-on, as you failed to hold onto the ball.
Scrum awarded to the opposition, no questions asked.
What is ironic though, is that the exact same scenario occurred the very next day during the Lions versus Blues game at Ellis Park, Johannesburg.
A Lions player was running towards the line, the ball was knocked forward out of his hands by a Blues player during an attempted tackle, and the Lions player re-gathered and dotted down.
The commentators thought it was a knock-on, however the video referee awarded the try.
Both were huge decisions and affected the outcome.
At 76 minutes, the score between the Chiefs and Stormers was 24-20, however if that earlier try was not awarded then theoretically the Stormers would’ve been in the lead.
With that much momentum and their tails up by being ahead, would they have closed out the game and pulled off a sensational win against the current Super Rugby champions?
We will never know. History tells us that the Chiefs then proceeded to score two tries in the final three minutes, which flatters the scoreboard and does not tell the full story.
The same can be said about the Lions versus Blues game.
The Lions raced away to a hefty lead, assisted by this “knock-on” try.
The Blues fought their way back into the game late in the second half and almost pulled off a win which looked to be impossible earlier in the game.
Would “that try” have changed the outcome of the match? Again, we will never know.
So I pose two questions to The Roar community:
Firstly, what is the exact ruling on this? Can somebody break it down and give the exact laws?
I do not recall this scenario occurring in rugby before and yet it happened twice in one weekend!
As far as I was concerned, both were knock-ons, as the ball runner lost possession of the ball and it went forward out of his hands.
Secondly, why has there been such a big fuss made only about the Lions/Blues decision in the New Zealand media and by Roarers here?
The Chiefs/Stormers decision has gone completely unnoticed and no-one has said a word. As if it never even happened…
Blues coach John Kirwan has even demanded an explanation from SANZAR referees boss Lyndon Bray.
The Stormers camp have not said anything.
What do you think the official ruling is, and why did both video referees rule in the attacking team’s favour to award the tries?
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.