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Nigel Owens weighs in on contentious Dombrandt try

Maro Itoje /Getty

Retired referee Nigel Owens has weighed in on England’s controversial try against Wales during the Guinness Six Nations showdown in Twickenham.

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The 43rd-minute try – which wasn’t subject to a TMO review – has been a talking point over the weekend.

Wales hooker Ryan Elias overthrew to a defensive lineout and the ball was caught by England No.8 Alex Dombrandt, who claimed his team’s solitary touchdown alongside six Marcus Smith penalties.

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      However, Wales head coach Wayne Pivac claimed that second row Adam Beard had been pushed in the back by England’s Maro Itoje, causing the Welsh lineout to malfunction.

      “If we had an opportunity to review that try, it probably wouldn’t have been given, so that was frustrating.”

      Asked if he thought Beard had been pushed out of the lineoutPivac replied: “Yes, he was. He was chased down the lineout and bumped, which you can’t do, but unfortunately it wasn’t picked up and the try stands. The replay we’ve seen, there was an offence there, we thought.”

      Dombrandt’s try took England to 17 – 0, only for Wales to battle back into the game, eventually losing 23 – 19. In retrospect, the gravitas of England’s questionable try now seems more significant.

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      Now, Owens has given his say on the matter in his column in The Telegraph.

      “You cannot obstruct an opponent from jumping at the lineout, and when you watch the footage back it looks like Itoje did that, before Dombrandt subsequently scored,” wrote Owens. “Normally, if there was any doubt then the referee would refer to the television match official, and because that incident was a moment of foul play it is covered under the protocol of using the TMO.

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      “Even if the officials were not aware of the incident, the TMO would be watching everything in the truck and could intervene. I was surprised that didn’t happen, particularly when the Wales players were asking the referee to check for foul play. That would normally trigger a review.”

      “I was never one for wanting players to tell me to check something, and would tell them to not come chasing me for potential incidents to be reviewed.

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      “But if the captain or the player concerned did so in the correct manner regarding a particular moment, that would make me question whether they have a point and I would ask the TMO to have a look.

      Maro Itoje is alleged to have pushed Adam Beard during the lineout.

      Replays of the footage certainly don’t appear to be conclusive, although Owens said he reckoned that Itoje had executed some trademark skullduggery.

      “If it had been checked, then the decision centres on whether Itoje obstructed Beard from jumping at the lineout. I would say Itoje probably did obstruct Beard, which means if it had been checked, I would have been pretty surprised if the try had stood.

      Adam Beard appears to saddle to the right just as he goes up for the ball.

      “If you did not see the incident yourself as the referee, you would be hoping that your assistants and the TMO would intervene. The smile on Itoje’s face said everything, really!

      Maro Itoje
      The Maro Itoje smile following the try that some have taken as evidence of foul play.

      “The reason people will be disappointed is because moments like that are why we have the technology in the game.

      “I have seen the comments made by Pivac and he is right to be disappointed and to ask the question why it wasn’t checked.”

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      Comments

      1 Comment
      s
      stuart 1234 days ago

      Where do you stop, knock on by Bigger in build up to Wales try, Welsh scrum half try tap penalty taken from the wrong spot, neck rolls seem to be back in the game…..

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      DarstedlyDan 45 minutes ago
      New Zealanders may not understand, but in France Test rugby is the 'B movie'

      Italy have a top 14 issue too, that’s true. I doubt SA are overly pleased by that, although it’s countered somewhat by the fact they would expect to thrash them anyway, so perhaps are not that bothered.


      The BIL teams are (aside from Ireland) A/B teams - still with many A team players. I would rather the England team touring Argentina be playing the ABs than this French one.


      France could have reduced the complaints and the grounds for such if they had still picked the best team from those eligible/available. But they haven’t even done that. This, plus the playing of silly b@ggers with team selection over the three tests is just a big middle finger to the ABs and the NZ rugby public.


      One of the key reasons this is an issue is the revenue sharing one. Home teams keep the ticket revenues. If the July tours are devalued to development larks then the crowds will not show up (why go watch teams featuring names you’ve never heard of?). This costs the SH unions. The NH unions on the other hand get the advantage of bums on seats from full strength SH teams touring in November. If the NH doesn’t want to play ball by touring full strength, then pay up and share gate receipts. That would be fair, and would reduce the grounds for complaint from the south. This has been suggested, but the NH unions want their cake and eat it too. And now, apparently, we are not even allowed to complain about it?


      Finally - no one is expecting France to do things the way NZ or SA do. We oddly don’t really mind that it probably makes them less successful at RWC than they would otherwise have been. But a bit of willingness to find a solution other than “lump it, we’re French” would go a looonnng way.

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