It was a try, says Bateman
Tim Bateman is adamant he never knocked the ball forward in the build-up to Jordan Taufua’s disallowed try during the Crusaders’ 25-17 loss to the Highlanders ion Dunedin.
As the Crusaders steamed towards their opponents’ tryline late in the first half on Saturday night, second fiveeighth Bateman appeared to have the ball belted from his grasp by Highlanders wing Tevita Li.
Referee Nick Briant never ruled a knock-on and possession was quickly recycled for No 8 Taufua to score a try that would have put the Crusaders in front 15-14 with the conversion to follow.
But when Highlanders cocaptain Ben Smith intervened, and put the heat on Briant to call for TMO Glenn Newman to investigate before Mitch Hunt could attempt a conversion, the try was canned.
It was a controversial call that infuriated the Crusaders, and ensured the Highlanders led 14-10 at halftime.
‘‘I haven’t seen the replays so I don’t know what the video ref has seen – the angles are a bit different – but for me, it was sort of pretty clear he (Li) knocked the ball backwards out of my hands,’’ Bateman told Newshub.
‘‘It felt like it went about a metre back actually, not even straight down.’’
If Hunt had taken the conversion there would have been no chance for Briant to ask Newman to review the footage.
Newman then deemed it was Bateman, not Li, who was at fault for losing the ball.
Bateman said he heard Briant tell Smith it was too late for the TMO, but the Highlanders’ skipper was insistent. ‘‘He (Briant) said it a couple of times, actually, but Ben’s been around a while now,’’ Bateman noted. ‘‘He knew if he could hold on long enough for that video replay to come up, he might change his mind. And he did.’’