Wessels questions game-changing call
REACTION: Another weekend. Another refereeing controversy. SANZAAR’s match officials just can’t stay out of the spotlight.
The latest contretemps came in the Waratahs’ 20-15 win over the Rebels in their Super Rugby Round 16 encounter in Melbourne on Friday.
The win kept the Waratahs’ play-off hopes alive and the losing bonus point saw the Rebels move to the top of the Australia conference – at least for 24 hours, till the Brumbies play the Sunwolves in Tokyo on Saturday.
The Waratahs moved up to 30 points (third) in the Australian conference with two games to play, four behind the Rebels (34) and Brumbies (34), who face the Sunwolves in Tokyo on Saturday.
Rebels coach Dave Wessels questioned the decision to only penalise Waratahs wing Curtis Rona for a no-arms tackle in the 32nd minute, which launched Marika Koroibete over the sideline with the tryline in sight.
It denied the Rebels a certain try and the went into the half-time break 3-13 down.
“We were unlucky not to get a penalty try or at least a yellow card for Rona’s tackle,” Wessels told a post-match media briefing, adding: “Marika was going to score 100 percent.
“Those moments change a game.”
Asked if he will take it up with SANZAAR, Wessels said: “It is not really my style. It happened. It is unfortunate, [but] it was a big moment in the game.
“If not a penalty try, certainly a non-arms tackle that prevented a try. On a different day, it would have been a different decision, for sure.”
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Melbourne coach Dave Wessels was pleased with his team’s effort but frustrated by their inability to deliver a winning blow.
“Despite not winning that bonus point [for losing by seven points or less] is going to be very important at the end of the conference.
“It has been a funny year, with so many teams still in it – with just two round to go.
“There is a lot of rugby still to be played, and we are still top of the [Australia] conference.
“We are disappointed with the result, but the challenge for us is to keep going. We are still in the fight.
“There were just too many errors – we knocked on the ball too much, simple errors in defence to give them two soft tries,” he said.
“You’re not going to win against a good team with those basic errors.”
The Waratahs needed the win to keep alive their slim hopes of a play-off berth and played accordingly to extend their winning record over the Rebels to six straight.
“It keeps our faint hopes alive to qualify and that’s important,” Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson said.
“I’m very proud – I thought the defence was excellent and we showed a lot of fight and determination when the Rebels were pressing our line.”
Waratahs captain Michael Hooper said: “It was always going to be a grind, Aussie derbies are always super physical so it’s hard to run away with a game.
“There were some big plays there, but we also put ourselves under some serious pressure. Was a quality game from both teams.”
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