It's been talked about before, and it will be talked about again - when is a forward pass not a forward pass?
The question surfaces after the cracking contest between the Crusaders and Highlanders in Christchurch on Saturday night, in which Colin Slade threw a pin-point long ball to Nemani Nadolo which floated about two metres forward.
Seconds later, Matt Todd was in for a try, and you can bet Highlanders fans were wishing referee Glen Jackson was a dispensable cast member in the new season of Game of Thrones.
To make matters worse for Highlanders fans, he then sent first-five Lima Sopoaga to the bin for a shoulder charge on Slade following that long pass.
Did Jackson make the right calls?
It's our job to find out.
Colin Slade pass to Nemani Nadolo - Crusaders vs Highlanders - 7th minute
Our All Blacks hopeful Colin Slade managed to ghost through the Highlanders defence early in the match, before throwing a long, flat pass to Nemani Nadolo around the Highlanders 22m line.
Slade released the ball while sprinting towards the goal line from about a metre outside the 22m. When the pass was caught by Nadolo, the ball was about a metre inside the 22m.
That's pretty simple, right? It went forward.
Yes, but no.
Momentum has a big part to play in forward passes, as the ball could have been backward out of Slade's hands, but his momentum carries the ball forward.
Usually, an easy way to tell if a pass was forward or not is if the player throwing the pass ends up in front of where the pass is caught.
That couldn't happen on this occasion, with Slade being hit a split second after throwing the pass, therefore losing his momentum.
In reviewing the footage of the pass, and without a degree in physics to aid my decision, it looks like Slade would have ended up well in front of where Nadolo eventually caught the pass.
Given Slade's momentum when throwing the pass, it was flat at worst.
Glen Jackson made the right call not to review the pass.
Lima Sopoaga yellow card - Crusaders vs Highlanders - 8th minute
After the try was scored, poor Colin Slade was unable to take the sideline conversion.
Up stepped Israel Dagg, slamming the ball through the uprights with authority.
As soon as the ball had sailed through the sticks, Jackson went upstairs to review the tackle on Slade moments earlier, and whether there was any foul play.
Slade threw the pass to Nadolo as Lima Sopoaga lined up the tackle.
When the ball had been released, Sopoaga moved slightly to become more side-on to Slade, seemingly to protect himself from an impending big impact.
The problem with that was that it meant Sopoaga was leading with his shoulder, which every player knows is a big no-no in rugby.
Slade was left with a Lima Sopoaga sized shoulder impression in his chest, although thankfully he was fit to continue after a chat with the team doctor.
World Rugby law 10.4 (g) Dangerous charging explains: "A player must not charge or knock down an opponent carrying the ball without trying to grasp that player."
Had Sopoaga continued with a legitimate tackle on Slade, there would have been no issues.
It was late, but the tackle couldn't have been avoided, so it came down to the shoulder.
Jackson made the right call, again.
Aaron Smith knock on - Crusaders vs Highlanders - 51st minute
Before Aaron Smith fired one of his trademark bullet passes to Waisake Naholo to score his second of the match, referee Jackson thought there may have been a knock on at the ruck.
The ball was slapped by a Crusaders player into Smith's shin and seemed ever so close to his hands in the process.
There was no evidence in the replay footage that the ball did touch Smith's hands, and the TMO advised Jackson to award a try.
Another sound decision from Jackson.
- Stuff
