'I thought it was the right call': Aaron Mauger and Leon MacDonald respond to controversial Aaron Smith penalty call
Highlanders head coach Aaron Mauger has responded to claims that Aaron Smith’s controversial penalty in Sunday’s 32-21 defeat to the Blues as “the right call”.
It comes after widespread criticism on social media and in the commentary booth at Smith’s efforts to earn his side a penalty as he ran into Blues prop Karl Tu’inukuafe while on the ground in an offside position.
Referee Mike Fraser’s decision – upon consultation with the TMO – to award the Highlanders a penalty saved the home side seven points after Dalton Papalii had scored under the posts from an interception in the same passage of play.
That try was overturned, however, with Highlanders playmaker Josh Ioane going on to slot the ensuing penalty kick at goal to hand his side a 13-12 lead shortly before half-time.
Going by the letter of the law, it seems Fraser’s decision was the right call, as although Tu’inukuafe had done all he could to move out of the way, he was still caught in an offside position.
Many expressed their discontent at the call, though, with pundits on Twitter calling for common sense to come into play as they labelled the decision “disgraceful”, “pure grubbery” and “the kind of BS we fight so hard to keep out of rugby”.
Sky Sport commentator and former All Blacks prop Wyatt Crockett was among those outraged at the decision, and was quoted as saying: “Aaron’s basically pulling a Hollywood to milk his team a penalty, and that’s not in the spirit of our game”.
Speaking to media post-match, Mauger fended off Crockett’s assertion that Smith’s theatrics aren’t “in the spirit of our game”.
“He’s influenced the attack,” the former All Blacks five-eighth said of Tu’inukuafe being caught in Smith’s running line.
“We had them under the pressure at that time, so I thought it was the right call.”
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By contrast, Blues boss Leon MacDonald refrained from speaking out against the officials’ call, despite it going against his side’s fortunes.
“Yeah, well, I would have liked the try to be awarded, absolutely,” he said.
“Talking about those sort of moments in the game, refs always call them as they see them.
“We’ve moved on pretty quickly and we were able to regain the lead and hold it, so it didn’t become too big a deal in the end.”
MacDonald added that he thought Fraser and his assistant “did a great job out there”, noting how tough of a job it can be as a whistleblower.
Outmuscled by the Blues’ bruising forward pack, Mauger revealed the Highlanders’ game plan involved trying to use the ball quickly in an attempt to run their opponents’ big men off their feet.
Asked whether the offside call against Tu’inukuafe was a result of the home side’s high-tempo style of play, Mauger said: “We did have them under pressure and that’s where we were really looking to kick on, but they managed to slow us up when they needed to.
“We weren’t able to get into that flow when we wanted to.
“We were talking about overspeed and it just didn’t quite happen for us, but it was the breakdown we talked about before [the match], us being a little bit faster there.
“Their tactics at the breakdown [were] to try and slow us up, and I think you’ve got to give them a lot of credit.
“They did a good job tonight, they deserve their win.”
The result puts the Highlanders out of Super Rugby Aotearoa title contention heading into their final two matches of the campaign against the Crusaders and Hurricanes.
The Blues, meanwhile, will be reliant on the Highlanders upsetting the league-leading Crusaders in Christchurch this Sunday to set-up a do-or-die final round clash between the traditional rivals at Eden Park on August 16.
Comments on RugbyPass
Absolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
5 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
5 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to comments