In a stark admission on this week’s World Rugby Whistle Watch, revered former Test referee Nigel Owens acknowledged a glaring error in the officiating during last Saturday's Rugby Championship clash in Sydney, where Argentina edged out Australia 28-26. The match, critical for the standings, concluded controversially with a late Australian try from Filipo Daugunu, assisted by what Owens confirms was an undisputed forward pass from Andrew Kellaway.
The botched call not only stirred frustrations but also skewed the championship leaderboard, propelling the Wallabies from third to first, bypassing rugby titans All Blacks and Springboks. Owens, dissecting the incident, lamented the oversight by the officiating crew, stating, "To be honest, there isn’t really much debate about this one... it’s clearly a forward pass." His critique extends beyond the on-field referee to the supporting officials, emphasizing that such clear errors should be collectively captured.
"He may well have just glanced away for a split second to look at something else, particularly if a player is getting close to the touchline, and if he misses it then you would certainly expect the TMO to come in for something that is clear and obvious."
……………
An incredible mistake. The Bargies always seem to be at the short end of the stick