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'The WORST decision I have ever seen': Social media fires up as referee awards controversial Crusaders try
The Chiefs just can’t catch a break. While the Chiefs have at times been their own worst enemies, they’ve also been on the receiving end of some absolutely flummoxing refereeing decisions in Super Rugby Aotearoa. In tonight’s match against the Crusaders, referee Ben O’Keefe made sure that the peculiar decisions would keep coming.
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With the match poised on a knife’s edge at 19-20 in the visiting Crusaders’ favour, the Chiefs were busy defending deep inside their half as they repelled waves of Crusaders’ attacks.
Eventually, the Crusaders found a gap in the armour and reserve lock Quinten Strange catapulted into the 22. As Strange tried to offload to the supporting Sevu Reece, the second-rower knocked the ball forward. Before the ball hit the ground, however, Strange managed to tap the ball backwards and Reece grabbed possession and waltzed into the Chiefs’ goal-area untouched.
Reece dotted the ball down and referee O’Keefe awarded the try then went upstairs where the TMO also adjudicated it was a fair try. While Strange had prevented the ball from ultimately travelling forwards, the laws of the game state that a knock-on occurs “when a player hits the ball forward with the hand or arm, or when the ball hits the hand or arm and goes forward, and the ball touches the ground or another player before the original player can catch it.”
It’s for the same reason that if a player accidentally drops the ball forward but kicks the ball before it hits the ground, a knock-on is ruled.
Fans across social media quickly recognised that an obvious knock-on had occurred and were quick to vent their complaints.
That non-call of a knock-on should actually be used in future refereeing courses to highlight what a knock-on in rugby union is. It was that clear and obvious. #rugby #joke #SuperRugbyAotearoa #CHIvCRU
— Jason Tan (@JSLTan) August 1, 2020
That is possibly the WORST decision I have ever seen…it went FORWARD 3m!! #CHivCRU
— Dave (@Rugby_Sicko) August 1, 2020
Think we can make this 11 apologies #CHIvCRU https://t.co/4RmJCBfyhT
— Ollie Ritchie (@OllieRitchie1) August 1, 2020
I see almost everything differently to Ben O’Keefe. One of us is a terrible referee. #CHIvCRU
— Rhod Vaughan (@rhodders9) August 1, 2020
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Forget the slow-mo, it's a knock on. #CHIvCRU
— Mark Currie (@MarkCurrieNZ) August 1, 2020
That is a horrendous decision and I have no dog in this fight.
Plus it's going to give Gats more grist for his overflowing mill.#CHIvCRU
— Matt Smith (@MataiGG) August 1, 2020
Everybody including Reece knew it was a knock on. Not sure how Ben O keeffe is a referee at this level.
— Blindside (@Pro14tipster) August 1, 2020
That was clearly knocked-on. Follow the flight of the ball which went forward not the player who needed up in front #SUPERRUGBYAOTEAROA #CHIvCRU
— Matt Cassidy (@Cass_maitias) August 1, 2020
Also, the knock-on definition is significantly different from the forward pass definition. “Out the back of the hand” applies to forward passes. “Loses possession of the ball and it goes forward” is a knock-on! #CHIvCRU https://t.co/rAr8niKIzy
— Brendon Trass (@brendontrass) August 1, 2020
The Chiefs are on the end of another awful refereeing decision. For me, the ball clearly went forward.
Decisions like that normally seal the fate of the game. Gatland can’t buy a break atm. #CHIvCRU #SuperRugbyAotearoa
— Mana Rugby (@mana_rugby) August 1, 2020
While the Chiefs still had time to rein the match in, the score seemed to break the home side’s confidence. The Crusaders eventually triumphed 32-19 with reserve wing Leicester Fainga’anuku dotting down for the visitor’s final try of the match.
Comments on RugbyPass
Sometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to comments