'The WORST decision I have ever seen': Social media fires up as referee awards controversial Crusaders try

The Chiefs just can't catch a break. While the Chiefs have at times been their own worst enemies, they've also been on the receiving end of some absolutely flummoxing refereeing decisions in Super Rugby Aotearoa. In tonight's match against the Crusaders, referee Ben O'Keefe made sure that the peculiar decisions would keep coming.

With the match poised on a knife's edge at 19-20 in the visiting Crusaders' favour, the Chiefs were busy defending deep inside their half as they repelled waves of Crusaders' attacks.

Eventually, the Crusaders found a gap in the armour and reserve lock Quinten Strange catapulted into the 22. As Strange tried to offload to the supporting Sevu Reece, the second-rower knocked the ball forward. Before the ball hit the ground, however, Strange managed to tap the ball backwards and Reece grabbed possession and waltzed into the Chiefs' goal-area untouched.

Reece dotted the ball down and referee O'Keefe awarded the try then went upstairs where the TMO also adjudicated it was a fair try. While Strange had prevented the ball from ultimately travelling forwards, the laws of the game state that a knock-on occurs "when a player hits the ball forward with the hand or arm, or when the ball hits the hand or arm and goes forward, and the ball touches the ground or another player before the original player can catch it."

It's for the same reason that if a player accidentally drops the ball forward but kicks the ball before it hits the ground, a knock-on is ruled.

Fans across social media quickly recognised that an obvious knock-on had occurred and were quick to vent their complaints.

While the Chiefs still had time to rein the match in, the score seemed to break the home side's confidence. The Crusaders eventually triumphed 32-19 with reserve wing Leicester Fainga'anuku dotting down for the visitor's final try of the match.