Jones hits out as Wales win apology for try error
England coach unhappy at World Rugby decision Referees undermined by intervention, he insists
England head coach Eddie Jones accused World Rugby of undermining their own match officials after the governing body confirmed that Gareth Anscombe’s disallowed try should have stood in Wales’ 12-6 defeat at Twickenham.
Glenn Newman, the television match official, ruled that the Wales full-back had not clearly grounded the ball during the first half of the Natwest Six Nations match. Warren Gatland, the Wales head coach, labelled it a “terrible mistake” and yesterday World Rugby released a statement admitting Newman had made an error. During the 2015 World Cup, World Rugby also publicly stated that referee Craig Joubert was wrong to award Australia a decisive penalty in their 35-34 quarter-final win against Scotland.
Last night, Jones criticised World Rugby’s intervention, arguing that the debate should have ended at the final whistle. “Well they’ve done it before and again, as I said I’m on a good behaviour bond, so I’ve got to be careful what I say,” Jones said.
“I just think once the game’s done and dusted that’s the game, you can’t have retrospective refereeing of decisions being done. We’ve got to trust the referees, respect their integrity. When I say respect the referee, that’s the TV process as well.
“That’s one of the traditions of rugby, you get on with it, you respect that decision. If you haven’t got the rub of the green then you know you will probably get it in the next couple of games.”
The incident occurred in the 23rd minute as Rhys Patchell threaded a grubber into the lefthand corner that Anscombe appeared to ground ahead of England full-back Anthony Watson.
Newman took around 70 seconds to make his decision and told referee Jerome Garces that the ball had “not been clearly grounded [by Anscombe], the first grounding of the ball is by England”.
Subsequent still photographs showed that Anscombe had beaten Watson to the ball, although there are other angles that suggest Steff Evans may have knocked the ball on. The Wales management said after the game that they would be seeking clarification on the decision, which they received yesterday from World Rugby referees’ chief Alain Rolland.
“I know Warren Gatland spoke to Alain Rolland, and they confirmed that the TMO made a mistake,” Rob Howley, the Wales attack coach, said. “It was good to have dialogue with World Rugby. That phone call took place and Rolland confirmed on behalf of World Rugby that the TMO made a mistake.
“It’s happened. It is disappointing that happens in professional sport, but we focus on the next two weeks and getting ourselves ready for Ireland. There was plenty of time after that decision. We had a couple of opportunities which we should have taken.”
Newman is not due to officiate another Six Nations match this year and a statement released by World Rugby put the blame on the New Zealander, rather than Garces. “World Rugby has clarified to the Wales team management as part of the usual review process with teams that the TMO made an error in the application of law during the England versus Wales match at Twickenham,” said the governing body,” a spokesman said. “In accordance with law 21.1b, Wales should have been awarded a try as the Wales player grounded the ball.”
Meanwhile, Jones confirmed that No8 Nathan Hughes is due to start against Scotland on Feb 24 after Exeter’s Sam Simmonds was ruled out for two games with a shoulder injury. Hughes has only just returned from two months out with a knee injury. “He will be fit,” Jones said. “We’ll make sure he is.”
Wasps wing Elliot Daly has also injured a calf having just recovered from a previous ankle injury. Flyhalf Owen Farrell and wing Watson sat out the contact training against Georgia, but are both expected to be fit for the trip to Murrayfield.