‘PENALTY TO THE ALL BLACKS!’... BUT HERE’S HOW THE REFEREE HAD A DRAMATIC RE-THINK
77min 53sec
OWEN FARRELL levels the scores at 15-15 with a penalty. The series is still in the balance with two minutes to play. Beauden Barrett kicks off. He sends it short to the right so that his forwards have a chance to regain possession. Captain Kieran Read is a metre offside from the kick, but this is not noticed.
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THE ball lands exactly where Barrett wants it to, Read jumps up with Liam Williams to field it and in the process knocks the Welshman to the ground. Jonathan Davies is standing behind Williams and appeals for a penalty, throwing both his arms in the air. He thinks Read has taken out his team-mate in the air. In the process, the ball hits Williams and goes forward. Ken Owens is retreating and instinctively puts out his left arm to catch the ball before immediately realising his error and pulling his arm away.
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ROMAIN POITE blows his whistle. It is a penalty to the All Blacks. Owens is accidentally offside as he is in front of the ball and has played it.
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THE clock is now stopped. The All Blacks can run it down to make sure this kick is the last play of the game — all Barrett needs to do is hit the penalty from 30 metres out and New Zealand win the series. But Poite signals for the television match official.
‘I WANT to check the challenge in the air,’ he says. Poite wanders over to the right side to speak with Jaco Peyper, the assistant referee. Poite watches three replays from different angles, shown to him by George Ayoub the Australian TMO, and says: ‘He’s in an offside position — Number 16,’ referring to Owens. ‘The red touches the ball in the second time and 16 got the ball in front,’ he adds. Ayoub responds on the ref link from his TMO box: ‘Romain, they are all the angles.’ Poite asks Ayoub: ‘Are you happy for the knock-on, challenge in the air fair and a penalty kick against 16 red? In front.’ ‘Yes I am,’ Ayoub replies.
IT seems the decision will stand. Rival captains Sam Warburton and Read are now listening in, following Poite as he strides back to the mark of the penalty. ‘Fair challenge in the air,’ he tells them. But then Jerome Garces, the assistant referee on the left side talks into the ref link. ‘Oui Jerome?’ Poite says to his fellow Frenchman. Garces then suggests it should be a scrum, not a penalty, planting a seed of doubt. Poite is now back at the mark where he gave the penalty and
Owen Farrell is waiting for him. Behind him, Warburton is shouting at his team. ‘Set for a quick tap,’ he warns them, making sure they are ready in case New Zealand decide to run the penalty. Read, however, is annoyed at Farrell’s presence. ‘You’re not the skipper,’ he says to the Lions No12. ‘I’m not saying anything,’ replies Farrell. ‘Well, just go back then,’ says Read. Poite then calls Read and Warburton over and says: ‘We have a deal. We have a deal about the offside from 16 (Owens).’ ‘Black or red?’ asks Warburton. ‘16 red,’ continues Poite. ‘He didn’t deliberately play the ball. It was an accidental offside.’ The referee has changed his mind. Read is stunned. ‘No, no, no, no,’ he pleads. Poite confirms the decision: ‘It was an accidental offside. We go for a scrum for black.’ Warburton looks relieved and makes the signal for a scrum with his hands, to inform his team of the decision. Read has not finished though. ‘Romain. In the rules it is a penalty for offside,’ the All Blacks skipper says. ‘If you run into your own man . . .’ Poite interrupts: ‘The ball touched him. It was not foul play, okay?’ Read shakes his head. Poite then blows his whistle and signals the change of heart. It is a scrum. ‘I thought he played the ball deliberately,’ Poite adds, to try to justify his reversal.
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THE All Blacks then smash the resulting scrum but the ball pops out of the back and Rhys Webb picks it up. Suddenly it opens up for him. He passes badly to CJ Stander, who misses the ball. The ball travels backwards but is then knocked on in the melee.
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AFTER some messing about, the scrum is finally set as the hooter for full-time sounds. This is the last play. New Zealand win their scrum and move the ball away.
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SIX phases later they are up to the Lions’ 22. Aaron Cruden is not in the pocket for a drop goal, though, and passes right to Barrett.
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HE goes into contact and the ball is quickly recycled. Cruden gives a basketball-style pass over the to Jordie Barrett on the right wing. He steams for the line but is brought down short.
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THE ball squirms out and is picked up, but three Lions drive the receiver into touch. Peyper puts up his flag. The game is over, but no one realises it yet. ‘Time off?’ Poite asks. ‘The hooter went a couple of minutes ago,’ says Ayoub. And Poite blows for full time. It is a draw and the series ends at 1-1.