'Both players going a million miles an hour': Why Rieko Ioane's no try was an 'utter farce' of a decision
Fans have taken to Twitter to take aim at what has been described as an “utter farce” of a decision to not award Blues centre Rieko Ioane a try due to a dubious forward pass call made by his brother Akira during their side’s win over the Highlanders on Sunday.
The movement started from a turnover near their own goal line, where the Blues decided to counter-attack from in front of their goal posts. Second-five Harry Plummer found Akira on the edge and the older brother put the foot down.
Jostling with Highlanders’ first-five Josh Ioane, Akira broke through the high tackle to burst away down the sideline. Around the halfway mark, with Highlanders defenders surrounding him on all sides, the No 6 fired a wild long pass in field where Rieko was there to haul it in.
In open field, the midfielder veered left and used his speed to burn away from the cover tackle of wing Ngane Punivai to ignite the Eden Park crowd.
If you didn’t know Rieko Ioane will always be my favourite player in the world underrated. pic.twitter.com/Z061CqwLrR
— Charles Rylands (@Charlesrylands7) March 14, 2021
The try was a breathtaking play that would have put the Blues up 22-7 after having already scored two well-worked tries, of which Rieko had set up.
A deflating TMO decision to disallow the try left many pundits unhappy, though, as it was ruled that Akira’s pass at the halfway mark had travelled forward.
The ball had been released from Akira’s grasp at the halfway line and looked to go backwards out of his hands, but Rieko ended up catching the ball at the Highlanders’ 10 metre mark.
Many were aggrieved by the decision, including Irish journalist Andy McGeady, who highlighted that the momentum of players moving can take a pass forward even if the ball has been released backwards out of the hands.
In instances like Ioane’s, he believed the try should have stood and the decision to disallow it was “depressing” for the game.
Catching up with Blues game. That try ruled out for a forward pass from Akira to Rieko Ioane is an utter farce.
Both players are going a million miles an hour. It's a 20 yard pass at full tilt.
Akira is looking back.
The ball was pointing back.
Momentum FFS!!!!!
— Andy McGeady (@andymcgeady) March 14, 2021
I mean look at it. THIS IS EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO SEE. Smart, heads up play to notice the overlap. Smart ball to get it to Akira, quickly. Power and pace. Then *fantastic* skill to pass like that, and a tremendous finish.
What did the TMO *think* he saw?
— Andy McGeady (@andymcgeady) March 14, 2021
New Zealand journalist Liam Napier also doubted the merits of the not try decision, highlighting that the same TMO Paul Williams made the error in awarding Leicester Fainga’anuku’s try the night before in Christchurch despite a foot that grazed the grass outside the field of play.
Back out of the hands, no? #BLUvHIG
— Liam Napier (@liamnapiernz) March 14, 2021
Just like players, it’s important referees are accountable for their performance. Paul Williams made three wrong decisions in two games this weekend (Fainga’anuku try, Weber yellow card + penalty try, Akira Ioane pass). Teams and fans are right to expect much better.
— Liam Napier (@liamnapiernz) March 14, 2021
One of the worst tmo decisions I’ve ever seen. That wasn’t even close. So clearly backwards out the hands. TMO doesn’t understand the law, that’s the only explanation.
— Egg (@ScorchShredz) March 14, 2021
World Rugby’s Laws have a simplistic outlook on what determines a forward pass, as Law 11.6 states: “A throw forward may occur anywhere in the playing area”.
Law 11.7, the only other law regarding forward passes, states: “A player must not intentionally throw or pass the ball forward.”
A lack of definitive clarification on what determines a forward pass could be attributed to why Ioane’s forward pass was called and why many onlookers disagree with Williams’ call.
While there is no law that suggests that the ball being released backwards from the hands should override a forward pass call, World Rugby – formerly the IRB – themselves debunked the debate in 2011 in a video posted to their YouTube channel.
The video shows how passes that would normally look fine to the naked eye technically travel forward in relation to the ground, but shouldn’t be called a forward pass as the the ball forward because of the momentum of an attacking player.
In the video, the narrator outlines that “the referee must judge a forward pass purely on the passing action of the passer and not be influenced by the movement of the ball relative to the ground.”
Many have argued that reasoning should have been applied to Akira’s pass. Although the decision to rule out the try didn’t cost the Blues in the end, who ran away 39-17 winners, it did rob fans and spectators of the moment for Rieko.
However, the slew of questionable TMO calls over the weekend suggest fans could lose confidence in the standard of refereeing as the competition enters a round of pivotal match-ups which could be close games.
The Hurricanes host the Chiefs in a battle of the winless teams while the Blues host the Crusaders in a blockbuster at Eden Park.
Comments on RugbyPass
We’re building a bridge but can't agree where the river is.
2 Go to commentsfirst no arms shoulder or helmet tackle into his rib cage is going to be so very painful even to watch. go back to RU mate.
2 Go to commentsBulls by 5. Plus another 50.
3 Go to commentsJohan Goosen avatar. Cute. Surely someone at RP knows how to do a google image search?
3 Go to commentsCan’t these games play a little earlier? Asking for a friend.
3 Go to commentsIt’s impressive that we can see huge stadiums with attendance in the 40 000 to 50 000 region. It shows how popular this competition is becoming. What is even more impressive is the massive growth in broadcast viewership. The URC is one of the two best leagues in the World, the other being the Top14.
7 Go to commentsChristie is not Sottish, like the majority of the Scotland team.
2 Go to commentsHold the phone, decline over-rated. Is it a one game, dead cat bounce or the real thing? Has the Penney dropped? Stay tuned.
45 Go to commentsTotally deserved win for the Crusaders Far smarter than the Chiefs who seem to be avoiding the basics when it matters Hotham showed them what was missing and Hannah seems a real find - a tad light but that can be fixed over time
8 Go to commentsGreat insight into the performance culture with Sarries and I predict Christie will be a fixture in the Scotland team now for some time to come. However, he is slightly missing his own point around Scotland “being soft” when he cites physicality examples in defence of that slight. The issue is much closer to the example he referenced around feeling off before a game but being told “it doesn’t matter, you can still play well” by Farrell. Until Scotland can get their psyche in that square, they will carry on folding under extreme pressure…
2 Go to comments> We are having to adapt, evolve and innovate more than when we were in Super Rugby where there was only really one style that everybody had to play to gain the most success. Have = able to? Interesting what that one style might be? I thought SA sides still had bad tours now, or at least bad schedule, months away? Those extra few hours flights have to be a killer though, no surprise to see their sides doing so badly at the start of the season each year. I wouldn’t enjoy that unfairness as a supporter.
7 Go to commentsThe problem for NZ, and Aus, is they ripped up the SR model and lost a massive chunk of revenue that hasn’t been replaced. Don’t forget SA clubs went North because they were left with no choice, Argy unceremoniously binned and Japan cast adrift. Now SR wasn’t perfect, far from it, but they’ve jumped into something without an effective plan, so far, to replace what they’ve lost. The biggest revenue potential now lies in Japan but it won’t be easy or quick to unlock, they are incredibly insular in culture as a nation. In the meantime, there is a serious time bomb sitting under SH rugby and if it happens then the current financial challenges will look like a picnic. IF the Boks follow their provincial teams and head north then it’s revenue meltdown. Not guaranteed to happen but the status quo is a very odd hybrid, with the Boks pointing one way and the clubs pointing the other way. And for as long as that remains then the threat is real.
45 Go to commentsI think Etene has had some good tuition, likely while at the Warriors to be a professional that helped his rugby jump, but he was certainly thrown in the deep end way too early. Should have arguably 20 less SR caps, and therefor a way better record that he does at his age, but his development would have been fast tracked by the need to satiate his signing away from league. Again, credit to him and others that he has done it so well. Easy to fall over under that pressure in the big leagues like that but he kept at it when I myself wasn’t sure he was good enough.
1 Go to commentsAwesome story. I wonder what a bigger American (SA) scene might have mean for Brex.
1 Go to comments“Johnny McNicholl and the Crusaders” save a Penney. Who has been in camp this week and showed them how to play?
8 Go to commentsSo, reports of the Crusaders’ demise / terminal decline are perhaps just - slightly - premature/exaggerated…? 🤔 Will we see a deep-dive into that by the estimable Rugbypass scribes, and maybe one or two mea culpas? Thought not.
8 Go to comments1. The Chiefs are rudderless without DMac, which enhances his AB chances 2. Chiefs pack are powderpuffs. The hard men arent there anymore 3. They had their golden title chance last yr and wont threaten this yr. Gone in second round of playoffs.
8 Go to commentsHonestly, why did you have to publish such a foolish article the day they play us? 😂
45 Go to comments> They are not standalone entities. They are linked to an amateur association which holds the FFR licence that allows the professional side to compete in the league. That’s a great rule. This looks like the chicken or egg professional scenario. How long is it going to be before the club can break even (if that is even a thing in French rugby)? If the locals aren’t into well it would be good to se them drop to amateur level (is it that far?). Hope they can reset from this level and be more practical, there will be a time when they can rebuild (if France has there setup right).
1 Go to commentsWhat about changing the ball? To something heavier and more pointed that bounces unpredictably. Not this almost round football used these days.
35 Go to comments