As an exercise in frustration for one set of players, coaches and fans, the only thing worse than a try being ruled out in a Test due to a technicality – all that effort, skill and joy amounting to nothing – is two tries ruled out.
Or, in the All Blacks’ case against France in Dunedin, three.
For many viewers over the weekend, it was a rude re-awakening to the realities of Test rugby, with television match official Damon Murphy of Australia ruling out tries for Jordie Barrett in the first half and Billy Proctor and Will Jordan after the break.
In the case of Barrett’s over-ruled try during his team's 31-27 win, the offence came from a previous breakdown when Murphy decided prop Fletcher Newell had knocked the ball on, despite referee Nic Berry saying at the time that the ball had gone backwards.
It could have gone either way, but it needed a proverbial fine-tooth comb to find an issue and Murphy over-ruling Berry will again raise questions about who is in control of games. Traditionally, the referee has sole charge. No longer.
That was also the case in the Australia v Fiji Test in Newcastle later on Saturday when TMO Eric Gauzins ruled a pass forward in the lead up to a Wallabies try despite referee Pierre Brousset and New Zealand assistant ref Ben O’Keeffe both judging the pass as legal at the time.
Proctor’s try, meanwhile, was ruled out because the eagle-eyed Murphy had judged that the centre lost control of the ball in the act of scoring – a fascinating conclusion for anyone who watched Springboks front rower Bongi Mbonambi awarded a try after bouncing the ball over the tryline during his team’s tight win over the All Blacks at Ellis Park last year.
Interestingly, Irish referee Andrew Brace has not been in charge of an All Blacks game since.
Jordan’s was overturned by Murphy due to an alleged obstruction by replacement prop Pasilio Tosi in the build-up – the mildest of blocks in front of the ball that was seen as significant by the man upstairs holding the metaphorical clipboard.
Just as head coach Scott Robertson held his tongue over the Mbonambi controversy last year – a requirement lest he receive a fine – so assistant coach Scott Hansen was diplomatic today when queried on the TMO issue.
“It’s a really good question and, if you don’t mind me answering it this way: We have to improve, the All Blacks have to improve,” Hansen replied.
“Let’s take away that error at the breakdown, let’s take away the ability of the TMO to feel he needs to come in.
“So our challenge is to give the TMO an enjoyable evening with a cup of tea and we’re really clinical and executing well and he can enjoy his evening.”
Tosi, asked today about the disallowed tries, admitted to his frustration, but followed the company line when saying: “It’s pretty tough but TMOs – they’re always there, so we’ve got to be squeaky clean in that area. They’re always watching – even my one when I ran into a French player, I’ve got to be mindful of not getting in their way.”
Saturday’s Test in Wellington will feature a swap in roles for the officials, with Berry on one sideline and England’s Christophe Ridley, a touch judge in Dunedin, the man with the whistle. Australian Brett Cronan, the foul play official last weekend, is the TMO, and will exchange jobs with Murphy.
The All Blacks are seeking greater accuracy on Saturday in the knowledge that the conditions at the Cake Tin will likely be far less ideal than they were under the roof during the first Test.
“The French were very good,” Hansen said. “They lived off our errors but they earned them.”
Responding to the defensive lapses which leaked three tries to the visitors, Hansen said: “We could have been in front of the French a wee bit quicker and a wee bit more aggressively.
“We’ve not overly happy with the amount of points scored against us… we need to be better.”
Tosi, meanwhile, acknowledged the French will be disappointed at not extending their streak of victories over the All Blacks to four.
“I reckon they’ll have a bit of fire in the belly,” he said. “It was only four points so I think they’ll feel they let one slip.”
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