Ref Watch: The Grand Slam decider and the one call they got wrong
Ref Watch: Luke Pearce is the rising star of international refereeing and as I have previously written, in my opinion, the heir apparent to Wayne Barnes as England’s leading official.
Plenty of controversy has shrouded a Six Nations in which players have struggled to come to terms with the crackdown on contact with the head. In the Covid-enforced absence of Southern Hemisphere officials it was therefore no co-incidence that World Rugby turned to Pearce and Barnes plus leading English Premiership officials Matthew Carley and Christophe Ridley for this potential competition decider.
And at the end of a quite remarkable match which spanned 125 gripping minutes, contained a final quarter with a red card and two yellows plus a huge number of hairline decisions, referee Pearce, TMO Barnes and their touch judges emerged with great credit.
This was reflected in the unanimous praise given by TV pundits Martin Johnson and Brian Moore plus Welsh pair Jamie Roberts and Sam Warburton who said: “They got all the key decisions right.”
This timeline breaks the match down incident by incident from an officiating perspective.
First Quarter
5.00 Pearce set the tone for the kind of fast-flowing match with which he is becoming synonymous by playing three advantages during a French attack.
5.00 Barnes was called into action for the first time to adjudge the French pack held up. Again a standard was set when a lot of conversation took place without stopping the match. Pearce also used a few words of French to Matthieu Jalibert as the home no.10 kicked to the corner.
5.08 No doubt World Rugby’s referee manager Joel Jutge issued behind-the-scenes instructions following Josh Adams’ try for Wales against England. On that occasion referee Pascal Gauzere allowed Dan Biggar to restart play before first checking that England were ready after the official had instructed Owen Farrell to pass on a general warning. Pearce therefore asked Wales: “Are you happy to play?” before restarting the clock.
5.40 France went to the corner and after allowing play to continue following a suspiciously crooked line-out throw, Pearce got in a superb position to award Romain Taofifenua’s try.
France came FLYING out the traps! ?
Taofifenua with the first score of the game. #GuinnessSixNations #FRAvWAL pic.twitter.com/JGUQv43DdJ
— Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) March 20, 2021
9.28 Barnes was back in action to rule out a possible Gareth Davies try. Pearce called it held up in real time, perhaps helped by Davies making a second attempt to ground the ball.
11.05 Dan Biggar scored for Wales after a long spell of close-range pressure which included two penalty advantages. “I like how Luke Pearce is letting the game flow and using both languages” former England hooker Moore said in commentary.
15.30 Antoine Dupont, who previously scored France’s second try, was hurried by Pearce to use the ball from the base of a ruck. This approach was consistently applied throughout the match and as a result the tempo never dropped.
17.57 More really athletic movement around the goal-line allowed Pearce to award a try to Ken Owens, who reached to place the ball on the line.
Second Quarter
21.00 “Nine let’s go” Pearce instructed Davies as he paused to find some kicking cover at the base of a ruck. “Luke Pearce is refereeing this so well, he’s making it a really fast game,” Jonathan Davies advised the BBC audience.
24.34 Replacement Swan Rebbadj conceded France’s first penalty when he was caught on the wrong side on the ground. The turnaround in les Bleus’ discipline since the arrival of Shaun Edwards has been a key feature of their rapid development.
28.17 Liam Williams knocked on while trying to recover a pass thrown behind him. Pearce called it very differently to the view Gauzere controversially took of a similar incident three weeks earlier.
30.10 The match’s sixth scrum is the first not to complete at the first time of asking. France’s penalty ended up being the sole set-piece award. Pearce got the front rows well balanced and engaging from a comfortable distance at a good tempo.
31.05 Pearce opted not to reward France when the next scrum also went down but the hosts soon won a penalty for a high tackle. The referee made no attempt to play advantage as is usual with incidents that may provoke retaliation.
Quarter 1 | Quarter 2 | |
Pens against France | 0 | 1 |
Pens against Wales | 2 | 3 |
The camera caught France captain Charles Ollivon in conversation with Pearce as the teams came out of the tunnel for the second half.
Having conceded only a single penalty but also finished second best on the gain-line the BBC’s half-time punditry focused on whether les Bleus should push the referee’s tolerance levels harder during the second period.
It is likely that a similar conversation – regarding possible changes to the patterns of play – took place in the officials’ changing room.
42.40 “OK let’s go,” Pearce encouraged both packs who formed a scrum too slowly for his liking. He then shared a relaxed smile with Tomos Francis who clearly responded.
45.04 After playing a long advantage Pearce went back for a midfield offside penalty which appeared to be called in by TJ Ridley. Biggar kicked Wales ahead 20-17.
47.09 Pearce was advised by Barnes that a possible earlier high tackle was in fact legal. He continued to communicate strongly by telling Ollivon: “We checked it and there’s nothing clear for us on review.”
“It’s a great example of the officials working in tandem so we don’t have to stop for it,” said Moore.
49.24 Josh Adams claimed a try for Wales after Justin Tipuric’s superb chip ahead was hacked on then recovered on the ground.
Having ascertained that neither touch judge could assist, Pearce then asked Barnes to check whether everyone was onside, if there was a knock-on and to confirm the grounding which he believed was good.
The TMO ruled the try good since “It is not clearly held up so I cannot overrule your onfield decision.”
TRY STANDS! ???????
Josh Adams scores for Wales. #GuinnessSixNations #FRAvWAL pic.twitter.com/yfUFeWggHv
— Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) March 20, 2021
However, a careful study of the replay showed Tomos Williams ahead of Tipuric’s original kick. The replacement scrum half was not immediately involved when Adams subsequently hacked ahead, but does then subsequently recover the ball to feed the try-scorer.
In this Six Nations a number of players have been given offside advancing ahead of the kicker – to the letter of the law Barnes’ decision was incorrect.
50.55 “Taken back in Matthew,” Pearce advised Carley as Dupont prepares to kick from the base just inside his own 22. It is unusual for a referee to assist his TJ in this way, but an excellent example of teamwork between the onfield officials.
52.36 “Get the water-carriers off, no-one’s going to go quick,” Pearce advised the players after France won a penalty for a ‘no-arms’ tackle. This again underlined there would be no repeat of the Cardiff incident.
57.55 Wales’ props led a lineout drive which made eight metres before Mohamed Houas entered the side of the maul to stop it. Playing with advantage Wales moved the ball wide where Louis Rees-Zammit attempted a spectacular mid-air grounding just inside the corner flag.
Ridley’s decision to stay seven metres from the flag behind play left him with an obscured view and therefore unable to make a concrete decision. Pearce initially advised Barnes he saw it as a try and then – showing superb knowledge of the detail of law – told Ollivon: “If it is grounded against the base of the corner flag it is not a try, that is why we have Wayne in the van.”
Louis Rees-Zammit was so close to nailing a brilliant finish!
Watch #FRAvWAL on @BBCOne & @BBCiPlayer: https://t.co/NICgx6f1yL#bbcrugby #SixNations pic.twitter.com/Wh4gF3LLF4
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) March 20, 2021
The TMO eventually determined this was the case so the try was ruled out.
Pearce then returned to the original offence and told France: “The maul moved a distance at speed so it is a yellow card.” He then told Alun Wyn Jones: “I’m not convinced a try would otherwise have been scored.”
In this situation, law requires the referee to believe a try would ‘probably’ result in order to award a penalty try – this is a straight judgement call.
Biggar’s penalty put Wales 30-20 ahead.
Fourth Quarter
62.12 Pearce played two penalty advantages during a long French attack which ended with a penalty being sent to the corner.
63.33 Barnes was called into action to confirm a decision made by the superbly positioned Carley who believed Julien Marchand was held in goal.
64.40 Wales were penalised for offside five metres from their own line. France again opted for a scrum.
66.49 Brice Dulin scored after two more penalty advantages. However, Barnes intervened and asked Pearce to look at a replay of a previous ruck clear-out on Wyn Jones.
“Red one is competing for the ball and he is removed by the hand of blue five which is around his head,” Barnes told Pearce as they watched a replay.
“I am already playing advantage against red five,” Pearce replied to Barnes, “So that neck grab comes while I’m playing advantage.”
The relevance of this was that were the subsequent French offence technical, the try would have been ruled out but play would have returned for a penalty to the hosts for the first infringement.
However, since Barnes then advised Pearce that the second offence was foul play it trumped the first technical offence – meaning play restarted with a penalty to Wales.
At this point the officials were clearly envisaging nothing more than a penalty reverse. But Barnes’ huge experience came to the fore when he insisted on seeing more replays.
“This looks worse than we first thought,” Pearce then stated. “It’s more than a penalty, we’re probably looking at a yellow card.”
? Ref: “It’s a red card” French Captain: “are you sure?” #SixNations #FRAvWAL
READ MORE: https://t.co/Fo2V7o1GQu pic.twitter.com/BdTtRQIYoi
— RUGBYcomau (@rugbycomau) March 21, 2021
Again Barnes’ experience proved invaluable as he stressed: “There is contact around the eye area,” which sent a coded message to Pearce that he believed it was worthy of a card but wanted the onfield official to lead the conversation and to consider whether it should be red.
After seeing more replays, Barnes updated: “It is not deliberate but he has got his fingers around the head and they have made contact with the eye area,” and the officials agreed Paul Willemse would be sent off.
The salient point here is that none of the officials believed there was intent to eye gouge – but under current guidelines for contact with the head intent no longer has to be present. In this respect Willemse’s sending off met the same criteria as those of Bundee Aki and Zander Fagerson.
Importantly for what transpired, while dismissing the French lock Pearce also advised Wyn Jones that Wales were under a warning for repeat offending.
68.21 Willis Halaholo was penalised for being offside in front of a kick – the offence missed earlier.
70.54 Ollivon was held in goal with Pearce playing advantage. Taulupe Faletau was shown a yellow card for his team’s repeated infringements. Incredibly this was Wales’ first Six Nations sin-binning in 15 games dating back to 2018.
72.50 Liam Williams was yellow-carded for diving off his feet at the breakdown. France went to the corner.
73.55 Wales were penalised again and Pearce gave Wyn Jones another warning. France opted for a scrum which Pearce repeatedly encouraged them to set. Amazingly, despite being ten points down they seemed in no hurry.
75.00 Wales were penalised at the scrum. France reset it and Ollivon scored a try that Romain Ntmack converted.
The captain who inspired the comeback! ?? ?
Charles Ollivon breaks through the Welsh wall. #GuinnessSixNations #FRAvWAL pic.twitter.com/tSXFKWxUJY
— Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) March 20, 2021
79.03 As 13-man Wales ran down the clock on halfway, Corey Hill was penalised for going off his feet. This is an offence which officials are instructed to closely monitor as teams attempt to close out games. Ntmack switched the ball prior to kicking to touch which should not have been permitted.
81.34 Dulin’s try clinched the match.
Quarter 3 | Quarter 4 | |
Pens against France | 4 | 1 |
Pens against Wales | 1 | 9 |
Comments on RugbyPass
The Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
15 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
18 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
18 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
3 Go to comments1. True, if that “free” ticket means access to all but the prized exhibit - EVIP only. SA cannot host semis, even if they’ve earned it (see Sharks vs ASM Clermont Auvergne at… Twickenham Stoop). 2. Why no selective outrage over Lyon doing the exact same thing a week earlier? Out of all the countries France send the most “B teams”, why nobody talking about “disrespect” and “prioritising domestic leagues” and “kicking them out”? 3. Why no mention of the Sharks fielding all of their Springboks for the second rate Challenge cup QF? No commitment? 4. Why no mention of all the SA teams qualifying for respective euro knock out comps in the two seasons they’ve been in it? How many euro teams have qualified for KO’s in their history? Can’t compete? 5. Why no mention of SA teams beating French and English giants La Rochelle and Saracens? How many euro teams have done that in their history? Add no quality? The fact is that SA teams are only in their second season in europe, with no status and a fraction of the resources. Since joining the URC, SA has seen a repatriation of a number of players, and this will only grow once SA start sharing in the profits of competing in these comps, meaning bigger squads with greater depth and quality, meaning they don’t have to prioritise comps as they have to now - they don’t have imports from Pacifica and South America and everywhere else in between like “European” teams have - also less “Saffas” in Prem and T14, that’s what we want right? 'If the South Africans are in, they need to be all in' True, and we have to ensure we give them the same status and resources as we give everyone else to do just that. A small compromise on scheduling will go a long way in avoiding these situations, but guess what, France and England wont compromise on scheduling because they ironically… prioritise their domestic comps, go figure!
18 Go to commentsthe success of the premiership can be summarized by : only 10 teams. It makes a huge difference with the overcrowded top 14 (let us not talk about Leinster and URC…)
1 Go to commentsGood for him. The ABs were fooling around again with converted fullbacks that had a penetration of a marshmallow. Laumape or as Aki has shown for Ireland, go forward is important in the centres. If it had been DMac - Aki- Aumua - Ioane- Telea- Jordan in France the final result would have been different.
4 Go to commentsDan Carter a apporté son professionnalisme, des méthodes de travail, un esprit qui manquaient à l’USAP. Son influence, même une fois blessé a été énorme. Et pour citer une anecdote, certains soirs il venait de lui-même à l’entraînement des jeunes pour dispenser ses conseils. On ne peut pas compter ce qu’il a apporté au club en heures de jeu sur le terrain. Est-ce que le club en a eu pour son argent ? Avec la publicité sur son nom et le titre, je suppose que oui.
1 Go to commentsThe SA sides are suffering from a bum rap here. There isn’t a side anywhere in the world that would do things differently in their shoes. They’ve been set up to fail in the EPCR comps by vested interests, with last minute intercontinental travel requirements that costs an arm and a leg to book in advance just on the possibility they might be required. And the total nonsense that denies any chance of home venues is entirely biased and absolutely unsporting. Either EPCR, the Top14 & the Gallagher Premiership get it sorted on a fair and equitable sporting basis for ALL participants or expect the ridicule to continue. Right now, these comps are a joke!
18 Go to commentsSA sides should do the right thing and leave the champions cup, they are lowering the standard with completely one sided games, not up to the right level. The greatest club tournament in the world is being banjaxed by the weak SA sides.
18 Go to commentsCouldnt agree more. SA sides need to show more committment and really have a go at the Champions Cup. Its quite possibly the most prestigious title in Europe and SA sides need to respect that prestige and serve up their best. EPCR needs to do more to ensure that sides from South Africa and sides travelling to and from SA have a better chance in this competition. The Bulls were put in a really difficult position of having to travel there and back in one week. One could argue that this is what the SA sides signed up for and that La Rochelle didnt complain or send out weakened sides despite having to travel to SA and back and play on successive weekends but surely the situation is also unfair on La Rochelle as well and so EPCR needs to think about successive gameweeks and the travel effect of the competition
18 Go to commentsI hadn’t watched much Canes this season but sat through a replay of that Chiefs game with no distractions. That pack is beastly. I really like the look of Iose. He loves the tough stuff. The first Quins clip may be the best I have even seen for a TH driving his opposite into oblivion. i need to take your word for the contribution of Walker, but Collier there with a straight back pushing up from under was a lovely thing to see. Have you fallen in love with Baxter also, Nick? I think Stuart Barnes may have written his column about him recently, naked. He positively frothed.
15 Go to commentsSmart guy. I wish he was running the RFU or something!
3 Go to commentsWhy Barrett, when Leinster already have at least 4 top centres.?
15 Go to comments