Smith agrees with key decision
Highlanders captain Ben Smith and coach Jamie Joseph were in total agreement with referee Craig Joubert's decision to hand the visitors a penalty try in their semifinal against the Waratahs.
Smith felt the match turned on the decision to award the penalty try in the 58th minute when Patrick Osborne was prevented from getting the ball over the line by Jacques Potgieter's swinging arm.
"The penalty try swung the momentum our way and we got a lot out of that. There's always going to be chances in a game where you can get the momentum and that penalty try definitely did it for us, the boys were pretty excited by that.
"I have seen it right throughout Super Rugby, if a guy comes in with a swinging arm like that and cops someone on the head then he has to be taken out of play.
"If you take him out of play, Patrick Osborne scores that try. So I had no doubt that was a penalty try," Smith said.
Joseph fully agreed with his captain.
"I have no doubt it was a yellow card. I saw a similar one that the Chiefs did on the Hurricanes a couple of weeks [ago].
"In many ways the referee, the TMO and assistant referee had no option really because a precedent had already been set. In any time, in any big meets where there is a yellow card, it obviously has a massive impact on the outcome of the game, so fortunately that was for us," Joseph said.
Smith added they could feel the frustration building within the Waratahs from the penalty try, which was crucial in handing the Highlanders the momentum.
"We managed to play good territory and that frustrated them a wee bit. Patty's try he got there – the one that was a penalty try – I think that swayed the momentum our way, and I think we got a lot out of that as a team and [we were] encouraged to play a lot of rugby from there and put them under pressure.
"There is always going to be chances in a game where you can get the momentum and I think that penalty try definitely did it for us. The boys were pretty excited after that," Smith added.
Joseph paid special tribute to his unsung pack – who matched the physicality of the international-laden Waratahs pack.
"They aren't All Blacks, they aren't Wallabies, they aren't Springboks but they are very good rugby players.
"And I guess you can see that we've created a very good team. Yeah, we've got a very good backline but I think in the last three or four games the pack's really stood up and at crucial times of the season they've done that," Joseph added.
Reuters and Sydney Morning Herald
