Morgan Turinui slammed the officiating as "disgraceful" as the ACT Brumbies were victims of an obvious and costly missed call in Canberra last night.
Crusaders winger Sevu Reece clearly knocked on while attempting to pick up the ball and pass from the base of a ruck in the 75th minute at GIO Stadium.
But New Zealand referee James Doleman allowed play to continue, telling Brumbies players that it came off the foot.
Kiwi assistant Fraser Hannon failed to intervene from the sidelines and Crusaders hooker George Bell took advantage soon after to score the match-winning try.
Turinui says there’s protocols around when the TMO can and can’t come in, of course, but there, where you have the referee slightly unsighted, OK, he’s missed it, got it completely wrong.
The Brumbies will host a home playoff in the first round of finals next weekend but the Chiefs and Crusaders are now in pole position thereafter.
Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham was his usual measured self when asked about the Reece howler says obviously there was a knock on from the winger before they kick into the corner and they score.
He says they can't do much about that, like they know the referee's going to make mistakes, and that's a pretty crucial mistake from their perspective.
Both sides scored four tries but Reece's drop goal – as well as his knock on luck – proved decisive.
It was the first by a winger in Super Rugby since 2012, when Andries Coetzee slotted one for the Lions against the Stormers.
Source: Stuff.co
