Johann van Graan puts TMO process under spotlight after Champions Cup exit
REACTION: Bath director of rugby Johann van Graan raised concerns over officiating processes following his side’s 26-38 defeat to Bordeaux-Bègles in the Champions Cup semifinal on Sunday.
While acknowledging Bordeaux-Bègles as the better team on the day, Van Graan questioned whether the match officials had sufficient television footage to review key incidents.
The PREM side’s loss sends the defending champions through to a Final against Leinster in Bilbao.
The South African highlighted three alleged head-high challenges on No.8 Alfie Barbeary that went unpunished, suggesting limited broadcast angles may have prevented proper review by the Television Match Official (TMO).
“All we want is consistency on both sides of the ball right through the competition,” Van Graan told the BBC.
“I believe specifically that three carries from Alfie Barbeary made direct contact to the head.
“I want to make clear that the better team won on the day, but I want to ask why certain things are not picked up when you play away from home in France.”
Despite his concerns, Van Graan defended the officiating team, including referee Nika Amashukeli and TMO Ben Whitehouse, but put emphasised on the broader issue of access to footage for the TMO.
“Three [points I would like to make]. Congrats to UBB, they were the better side. Number two the officials were exceptionally good today. The main point I want to make is that from a consistency point of view that where every game is played that the TMO [television match official] gets access to all the footage he wants.
“From my point of view, you want the match officials to know what they are looking at. Whatever decision a ref makes is the final call.”
Source: BBC
