Aussie refs’ boss hits back after Ardie Savea ‘try’

Speaking to media on Monday, Holland couldn’t understand why the TMO “had been brought into the game”, and that Berry, who called no-try in the belief that Savea had been held up over the line, should have asked Cronan for a try or no-try decision.

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Holland believed the no-try announcement from Berry gave Cronan little wriggle room to contradict the on-field decision.

None of these claims get any traction with Chapman.

Chapman, a former Waratahs, Brumbies and Reds representative, was adamant the Australian officials were right to declare Savea hadn’t scored.

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“He [Berry] has got to make a live on-field decision – try or no-try. Which he did. They can’t guess,” Chapman said. “If they don’t see the ball on the ground, they can’t guess.

“He saw it held up. He gave no-try, which was the correct decision under those circumstances. The TMO then reviewed it, and there was inconclusive evidence showing the ball hitting the ground.

“So he stuck with the on-field decision, which was no-try.”

Chapman also said there shouldn’t be any confusion around what the options are for the TMOs, and that all teams in the competition were aware of the rules.

He added that even if Berry had asked Cronan if it was a try or not-a-try, the latter still wouldn’t have been able to rule in favour of the Hurricanes.

“Had he done that, the outcome would have been the same in that respect,” Chapman said. “So that doesn’t change anything.”

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The 37-33 defeat meant the Hurricanes had again dropped out of the title race, having also lost to the Brumbies in last year’s quarterfinal in Canberra.

It wasn’t the way Holland, who will join the All Blacks coaching staff next year, and Savea, who won’t play SRP next season because he will play in Japan, wanted to sign-off their season.

Speaking after the game, Savea was sure the ball had touched the grass: “Yup. 100 per cent [I scored it]. I can sit here and argue, but it’s done now. It’s one of those things. Just gutted. Bloody gutted.

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“It all came down to a moment and that moment didn’t go our way. I feel for the boys who have played their last game for the team. It’s heartbreaking mate, but you just have to live with it.”

Holland said SRP had “gone full circle” from trying to get decisions right, to attempting to speed up the game: “And I think we’re in all sorts of trouble because we’re relying on a question for that decision which means the TMO is probably thinking ‘that’s probably a try, but I can’t award it because of the question’.”

Chapman disagreed. He said the officials owned up to their mistakes in post-game reviews. But he said they had nothing to apologise for after the match in Canberra, noting the TV camera angles were proof they had got it right.

“On the way down, you see [Brumbies replacement forward] Luke Reimer with his arm underneath with the strapping tape on the wrist, as it’s going down. And, then, as he pops back up his hand is still underneath it,” Chapman said.

“There’s no real clear footage of the ball hitting the ground. In our review process we were very supportive of the decision, and thought the boys handled the whole process well.”

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