Scott Robertson opens up on drama surrounding Bongi Mbonambi's knock-on try

All Blacks head coach Scott Roberston has revealed how the side tried to intervene to get Springboks’ hooker Bongi Mbonambi’s controversial try looked at in the Ellis Park Test last year.

The Springboks were blindly awarded a try to Bongi Mbonambi breaking from the back off the maul against the All Blacks in Johannesburg, despite replays showing a clear knock-on by the hooker afterward.

The crucial five points scored by Mbonambi aided the Springboks in the final wash in their 31-27 win.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus talks about the number of seasoned front row players unavailable

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus talks about the number of seasoned front row players unavailable

Robertson has revealed that they attempted to challenge the decision and alert the officials but referee Andrew Brace didn’t understand what they were requesting.

“Let’s use Bongi’s try, that wasn’t a try, that was a try,” Robertson told Justin Marshall in an exclusive interview for The Breakdown, “That’s a prime example.”

“Ellis Park, first Test, at that moment, you know it is not going to go up on the big screen, not at Ellis Park.

“So our analyst, who is always checking that stuff. He’ll say ‘it’s a knock-on Razor’, okay sweet, I go straight down to Scooter [Scott Barrett], “Scooter, get to Andrew Brace.”

“Sacha at that stage was taking the kick [at goal]. Remember, he went too long on the kick, over 30 seconds.

“Scooter comes up to him [Brace] and goes “can you check the knock-on from Bongi?”, he goes “nah, nah, we’ve got the kick he’s over the 30 second limit”.

“Scooter goes “nah, nah, nah, we’re not worried about the kick, we’re worried about the try” and he goes “I’m not talking about the kick, he’s missed it.”

That got Scott Robertson up in arms and reacting to the drama unfolding on the field.

“Anyway so there’s confusion around which one [we are asking about].

“We should’ve gone to the AR. Talk to him and get through so the guy upstairs can see it, because you’ve got until the kick off. The conversion’s done but you’ve got til the kick off, the next start of play.

“That’s when you see me animated, “Don’t kick it off D-Mac, hold the ball, hold the ball” and the ref’s going “kick it”.

“Those are the ones I’ve got to be a step ahead, I can’t get too emotional in that moment because I’ve got to think what’s next.”