Mystery remains as to the specific reason why Pierre Brousset and his French officials, including TMO Tual Trainini, didn’t award Leinster and Ross Byrne a try with the clock on 79 minutes in the penultimate play of epic Champions Cup semi-final against Northampton.
And while they may have been correct to do so, Leinster’s French prop Rabah Slimani was not alone in believing there should have been a penalty try.
When Josh van der Flier attempted to reach out and score he was tackled and had the ball ripped, illegally, from his hands by Northampton lock Alex Coles. The ball then squirted loose and deflected off the legs of a retreating Northampton player onto their try line by the corner flag, where Byrne stretched and touched down the ball.
Technically, Byrne was on the ground and hadn’t got to his feet, so legally was not entitled to play the ball. Broussett did not award a try, although it was unclear if that was the reason, or if the officials felt Byrne or van der Flier had knocked on. Confusion reigned as the officials were communicating in French and there were no ref links.
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Broussett − who as the game progressed increasingly seemed to be struggling with the pressure of the occasion − did though award Leinster a penalty and sinbin Coles. Thus, given the Northampton lock was yellow carded for illegally preventing van der Flier from scoring, there therefore had to have been a case for a penalty try.
“I don’t know, I don’t know,” said Slimani when asked if he knew why the try was not given, before adding: “I don’t understand the decision because if it’s a penalty and a yellow card, I don’t know why it’s not a try but that’s the ref’s decision. He has his opinion, but it’s hard.”
Slimani has had issues with Broussett’s scrummaging interpretations in the past and declined to comment about his compatriot and the scrums, but revealed: “That’s my first Champions Cup semi-final. It’s disappointing. Last year I lost a Challenge Cup semi-final to Sharks like that. It’s terrible because every guy did a good training week, they prepared well but we lost by just three points. I think that’s worse.”
Slimani also admitted: “We lost some focus in defence but we never stopped the effort during the second-half and we were very close at the end. It’s very hard for the team but that’s the reality.”
Asked if he felt there was a nervousness among the Leinster team, Slimani said: “No, I didn’t feel that. Last year the semi-final against Northampton was very close and today too. I think it’s normal that we were a little bit nervous. We didn’t make a good start, they scored a lot of points. We lost by three points, that’s very disappointing.”
Leinster now have the difficult task mentally of refocussing on the URC, albeit it is now their only remaining opportunity to win a first trophy in four seasons.
“The season is not finished and we have the opportunity to win something, the URC, this year,” said Slimani. “It’s a long time since Leinster won something and I think we need to stay focused on the URC now.”
“It is not pressure, but now we have just one target. We are disappointed not to make the Champions Cup final but now the target is the URC. We have had a very good season in the URC, we need to continue that.”
Speaking of that protracted review between the officials, the Northampton Director of Rugby Phil Downson said: “The thing that was going through my head was that if they score here, it feels cruel. I know sport’s cruel and I know sport’s unfair and that’s the beauty of it but to be leading ... I think we led the whole game ... I don’t know, and to have lost it in the last minute with a bobbled ball and a referee’s decision? Was it a knock on? Did Colesy release?
“It’s all very intricate and subjective, and the referee makes a decision there and if we’d lost that I would have been gutted for the players, because I know how hard they’ve worked, how much they’ve put into it. I see the lads at half-time blowing and I’m like, ‘whoosh, that’s a tough first 40 minutes.’
“That’s what was going through my head, it’s so close and we concede here that doesn’t feel quite right, and what do I say then to try and build them back up?
“Then as soon as we get [the turnover] I think Juarno took the ball off them on their tap and go, I just said to the coaches, ‘we’re going to Cardiff’, and (attack coach) Sam Vesty broke my glasses.”
