Legendary referee Nigel Owens has given his verdict on the ruling of a controversial schoolboy try that has since divided the internet.
In a match between Marlborough Boys’ College and Nelson College in New Zealand, Marlborough centre Anru Erasmus lined up a penalty from directly in front after informing the referee they were taking the shot at the posts.
But instead of kicking the ball at the posts, Erasmus chipped off the kicking tee towards the left corner, with teammate Finn Neal latching onto the ball uncontested and touching down for a simple try.
The try was awarded after the referee saw that the trick play did not break any rules, and went on to prove the difference, with Marlborough coming out 28-26 victors.
However, Owens has since rightly hit back at the decision to let the score stand, which did in fact go against the rulebook.
“No try,” Owens said on X. “You must make a genuine attempt to kick at goal before the try can be allowed to stand. This clearly wasn’t.”
He then added that the penalty should have been voided, with a scrum taking place instead.
World Rugby states in its laws that, under rule 8.20, “if the team indicates to the referee the intention to kick at goal, they must kick at goal. The intention to kick can be communicated to the referee or signalled by the arrival of the kicking tee or sand, or when the player makes a mark on the ground.”
Owens is obviously in a position to know, having refereed at the highest level of the game, including the Rugby World Cup final in 2015.
