Blues head coach Vern Cotter has put the controversy of Tupou Vaa’i’s unlawful try behind him, despite it playing a crucial role in the Chiefs’ narrow 19-15 win over his team in the Super Rugby Pacific's opening weekend. Following a review, tournament organizers admitted the try should not have been awarded, citing a breach of the laws around avoiding tackles by leaving the ground.
“You get decisions for you and against you – and that one went against us,” Cotter expressed during a press briefing. He underscored the importance of moving past the incident, focusing on preparing for the upcoming match against the Western Force. Despite the setback, Cotter showed resilience, emphasizing,
“We’re focusing on what we can do better. Retrospectively having those five points taken off and giving us a one-point win would be nice, but we’re not quite there yet with World Rugby and the way the game is ruled.”
The transparency from Super Rugby Pacific was a silver lining for Cotter, who commended their honesty. “But I think it’s really honest from them, and I applaud that. We applaud that type of attitude but we’ll just move on. I could go on and on about it but what’s done is done,” he noted, choosing not to dwell on the error.
His counterpart on the field, Blues captain Dalton Papali’i, also remarked on the challenge of disputing referee decisions. “I’d say the referee has a tough job as it is. As captain, I feel like you just need to challenge him, so I asked, and he said he felt it wasn’t dangerous. After that, he calls try and you’ve got to move on,” said Papali’i, demonstrating leadership and acceptance.
The incident and the response by the officials and team leaders underscore the ongoing challenges and complexities within rugby officiating, highlighting the need for continuous improvement in the enforcement and clarity of rugby laws. As the teams look forward to their next fixtures, the focus shifts back to the gameplay, leaving the contentious decision as a lesson in the evolution of the sport's governance.