Quinn: I was just joking

Veteran rugby commentator Keith Quinn clarified that he was joking when he called for two women commentators to be sacked after a reference to TJ Perenara’s try as ‘rugby leagueesque’.

Perenara scored one of the great Rugby World Cup tries for the All Blacks on Sunday night in their 71-9 victory over Namibia in Tokyo.

But Quinn, who was the longtime All Blacks and rugby broadcaster for TVNZ, wrote on Twitter on Sunday night that two women should lose their jobs over the description.

‘‘Great try and superb pic but two reporters on TVNZ & Skynz [sic] later called great ‘great rugby league tries!’ Whaaat? Sack those two women. (I have their names!),’’ Quinn tweeted in response to a post on the try.

Some social media replies felt Quinn’s comments were tongue in cheek but others weren’t impressed with his reaction.

But yesterday afternoon, he tweeted a clarification, saying his remarks were in fact tongue-incheek.

‘‘My tweet last night re the TJ Perenara try was meant to be a joke about rugby union v rugby league. TJs try was a great rugby union try at a Rugby Union World Cup. (I should have put ‘lol’ on the tweet).’’

Spark commentator Scotty Stevenson had earlier come to the aid of his colleagues’ commentary.

‘‘Excuse me? Those two women are entitled to describe that play in any way they see fit, and offending your sensibilities is thankfully not a sackable offence.’’

After the try was converted, Spark Sport sideline reporter Kimberlee Downs said: ‘‘How sensational – that was almost rugby league-esque, wasn’t it?’’

It’s understood Sky Sport panelist Kate King also referred to the similarity of Perenara’s effort with that of rugby league tries of the same nature.