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'Was the TMO in the toilet?': Legality of Eben Etzebeth's try under question
Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth scored a crucial try for South Africa against England but the legality of his actions have come under the spotlight after a failure to review the try.
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A pivotal error by England lock Johnny Hill reversed a penalty in England’s favour, giving the visitors the chance to attack straight after the restart after an Owen Farrell penalty narrowed the gap to 17-6.
After pounding England’s line, the ball spilled out of the ruck after a contest by Maro Itoje. His rival lock Etzebeth scooped up the ball and dived over to score under the posts.
Scrumhalf Faf de Klerk kicked the conversion in swift fashion before any replays were looked at, glossing over how the ball was played by Etzebeth.
Former England flyhalf Andy Goode called out the incident on Twitter, joking that “Eddie Jones is currently making a Rassie video” after footage showed Etzebeth taking possession while still on the ground.
“It’s either the knock on or a penalty for playing the ball on the floor. Was the TMO in the toilet or the biscuit tin at that point?!” wrote Goode.
Eddie Jones is currently making a Rassie video about how Etzebeth’s try should never have been allowed. It’s either the knock on or a penalty for playing the ball on the floor. Was the TMO in the toilet or the biscuit tin at that point?! pic.twitter.com/GjhNEbUb6f
— Andy Goode (@AndyGoode10) November 26, 2022
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Many other Twitter users spotted the illegality of Etzebeth playing the ball from the ground.
The Springbok lock had flown off his feet trying to clean out originally and was still on the floor when the ball came his way.
Another user called it “shambles” after picking up the ball after a potential knock on from Faf de Klerk.
did Etzebeth play the ball from the ground before his try? looked like it to me….
— MalarkyFreeZone (@padlnjones1) November 26, 2022
A dodgy enough looking try from Eben Etzebeth under the shadow of the posts and under the nose of the referee. There was no way he was on his feet to make a play on that loose ball. #bbcrugby
— Andrew Priestley (@A_Priestley89) November 26, 2022
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Gardner having a really good game, but he needed his TMO for that Etzebeth try. Whitehouse conveniently asleep and Faf takes the kick as quickly as he possibly can#ENGvRSA
— Astie Bolton (@AstieBolton) November 26, 2022
Etzebeth had a knee on the ground when he picked that up. No try. Pen England #ENGvRSA
— Ian Graham (@irgWR11) November 26, 2022
England very poor today, and against a depleted SA team. But surely Etzebeth played the ball in the ground for his try? He was on his arse when he took possession.
— Seamus dot (@J_eastbay) November 26, 2022
@rpetty80 @CharlieFelix @thedeadballarea was Etzebeth’s try actually a try? Didn’t he get the ball on the floor?
— Ar Dee (@0327Rob) November 26, 2022
Arendes was guilty of obstructing the England Fullback. Have a look at the replay. It looked pretty obvious, I couldn’t believe that it wasn’t picked up. The Etzebeth try was also a shambles. He was off his feet when he played the ball, which he got from a knock on by De Klerk.
— Alastair (@akinnear124) November 26, 2022
Frankly thought Gardner was awful as usual. Scrums were a shocking mess. England should’ve seen about 3 yellow cards by my count and in the same breath Etzebeth’s try shouldn’t have stood, but Boks should’ve had pen advantage for not rolling and killing the ball anyway.
— Rugbedia (@rugbedia) November 27, 2022
Am I going blind, or was Etzebeth on the ground when he got the ball for that try? #ENGvRSA #Rugby
— Ross B (@Rossinio) November 26, 2022
Gently surprised Arendse’s block on Steward not looked at. Fell squarely in the “he knows what he’s doing” category for me, Jim.
— Nick Heath (@nickheathsport) November 26, 2022
Etzebeth’s score was the second try of the match by the Springboks that came under the spotlight after suggests of an obstruction in the lead up to Kurt-Lee Arendse’s try.
The luck flowed the Springboks way in the week after Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus was banned for two matches after posting on social media about calls that went against South Africa in their losses to Ireland and France.
Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber hailed it a ‘very special’ occasion after winning at Twickenham for the first time, and ending a losing run that extended back to 2014.
“We’ve had a couple of special results as a team, but this was the first win for Siya and I at Twickenham, so it’s very special to us,” said head coach Jacques Nienaber.
“The forwards were outstanding and created a good platform for our backs to attack, so all-in-all, it was a fantastic team effort.”
Captain Siya Kolisi was equally delighted to get the result for a ‘special’ group of players.
“Sometimes we take it for granted what a special environment one is in and the great coaching team we have,” said Kolisi.
“When we got together with most of this coaching team in 2018, we all bought into the plans and the synergy and the way we work together is really special in this group.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
81 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
3 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
3 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
3 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
13 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to comments