Could he have asked the TMO?

We have gone through eight World Cup matches in three days with just one controversial refereeing incident. That must be something of a record but that one could have been avoided.

Fourteen minutes into the match between South Africa and Wales, JP Pietersen of South Africa tackled Mike Phillips high and was penalised. The penalty was a right decision.

James Hook of Wales, to the left of the posts as he looked at them, kicked the penalty. It was an easy kick – though not perhaps in this World Cup of many missed kicks. The kick was about 16 metres in from touch and 23 metres from the South African goalline. He kicked and the ball flew high towards the right upright. It looked to be outside the upright and then curving to its left.

The assistant referees, two top officials, advised that the kick was not over and the referee accepted their advice and awarded a drop-out.

Hook was puzzled and suggested that the television match official be consulted. The referee did not consult the TMO and the drop-out went ahead.

Could the referee have referred the matter to the TMO?

Yes.

In terms of the International Rugby Board’s TMO protocol, the referee was entitled to refer kicks at goal to the TMO.

The International Rugby Board’s protocol on the area of jurisdiction of the TMO says:

The TMO could therefore be requested to assist the referee in making the following decisions:

Try
No try and scrum awarded five metres
Touch down by a defender
In touch – line-out
Touch-in-goal
Ball dead on or over the dead ball line
Penalty tries after acts of foul play in in-goal
All kicks at goal including dropped goals.

All, kicks at goal. That includes Hook’s penalty kick.

It may have been prudent to refer it and avoid controversy.