JONATHAN KAPLAN
Romain Poite’s decision not to award a penalty to New Zealand with 90 seconds remaining in the third Test will split opinion. To my mind there were three elements to the decision. The first was whether Kieran Read’s challenge in the air on Liam Williams was legal, and if a penalty should have been awarded to the Lions. Then there was the question of whether Ken Owens deliberately played the ball before dropping it, and finally the issue of Romain awarding only a scrum to the All Blacks after seeming to agree with his television match official, George Ayoub, that the original decision to award a penalty to New Zealand was correct.
On the first question I disagree with the outcome that Romain and George reached in deciding that Read’s challenge was legal. I would argue that Williams had already taken the space in the air and that Read could not win possession from where he was, even with an outstretched arm. In fact, Read’s bump on Williams caused the fumble and everything afterwards. If Romain had awarded the Lions a penalty – which is what I would have done – it would have avoided all the controversy that followed.
But the issue after that was that the referee and his TMO reviewed the offside against Owens, which Romain had given as a penalty to the All Blacks at the time. The TMO had been called for to look at a potential “dangerous challenge” by Read, and under protocol he should not have been used to assess the allegation of offside.
Some amongst us would argue that getting the decision right is all that counts. It may be that, having felt his initial call was too tough, Romain did the right thing by going against protocol and changing it, accepting he would bear the consequences later. I certainly understand both sides of that argument. When assessing the Owens incident, Romain would have been thinking of law 11.6, which includes the passage: “When an offside player cannot avoid being touched by the ball or by a team-mate carrying it, the player is accidentally offside.”
Romain ruled this was the case with Owens. However, Owens did lift his arms and did catch the ball, before letting go just as quickly. Therefore it could easily be argued that he knew what he was doing – and this is an argument all of New Zealand will be making this morning. Others, especially those of a Lions perspective, would argue that the ball would have hit him irrespective of his actions. Again, it is arguable either way. From my perspective, I do not see how you can think that Owens did not
Referee Romain Poite, to his TMO
Are you happy for the knock-on, the challenge in the air [was] fair, and after a penalty kick against 16 red, in front?
George Ayoub, TMO
deliberately play the ball. He did. Romain touched his shoulder – which was where the ball hit Williams – to justify his decision, but the case should not have been opened in the first instance after Read’s challenge on Williams.
Lastly, and very importantly, Poite seems to have reversed the decision he made in consultation with his TMO. Both agree a penalty to New Zealand is the right course of action, but Romain awards a scrum despite the protestations of All Black captain Kieran Read. This is something I cannot understand and seems completely wrong – it appears ludicrous to change your decision after agreeing it with the TMO.
I would, though, say I have huge sympathy with Romain as this was a high-pressure, volatile situation, and it may be his command of English was not the best at this time.
He was, though, technically wrong to use the TMO to check for offside – although he may have done so in the best interests of the game, which I have no issue with. But what many people, even those outside of New Zealand, will not understand is how he came to reverse that decision.
Above all, though, I would like to acknowledge what a stunning series this was. Long live the British and Irish Lions! The quality and intensity was incredible. Well done to all involved, including all the referees. There were always going to be errors, similar to the players, but I think in the bigger picture their contribution deserves to be recognised. Roll on 2021!
Read Poite