It was a try - Ulster should have beaten Stormers

It was a try. Simple as that. United Rugby Championship referee boss Tappe Henning explained it in simple terms regarding the controversial end to the DHL Stormers’ Vodacom URC win over Irish side Ulster on Saturday.

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Ulster had looked to have scored a try, but a muddled, mishmash of conversations between the referee and the television match official eventually ruled that there was no try, giving the Stormers a narrow win.

And according to Henning - who was speaking on SuperSport’s Final Whistle show - the discussion should not have even gone that far, as the on-field decision was a try.

“What is hugely important is that the referee awarded the try. In the process of the conversion kick that there was additional footage available - now we are looking for an infringement to overturn the awarding of the try. The on-field decision was a try and in the replays there was no conclusive evidence that the Ulster player knocked on - so the original decision must stand. That’s the important bit,” Henning explained.

“There has to be conclusive evidence that the ball goes forward from his hand for it to be a knock-on for the try to be overturned.”

The intense discussion between SuperSport’s panel and Henning challenged the way it was handled, as well as what accountability there now is for a referee and/or TMO in this process.

Henning was clear that a remedial process is underway.

“We can’t change what has happened, and the score won’t be changed, that is part of the game. I’ve already had a chat with the TMO and there is a remedial action underway, he needs to tell me what his process is, and what did he see. Then I look for the flaws in the process and tell him the important things he needed to look at in the picture.”

Ulster coach Dan McFarland wasn’t a happy man after the game with the decision, which he believed robbed them of the win.

McFarland was fuming after the game, and made it clear he felt the officials had got it wrong.

“In my head, we’ve won that game. It is what it is. We’ll move on. We don’t have the four points that go with winning a game,” McFarland said.

“I have to be really careful what I say here. As I viewed it initially, my personal opinion of looking at it, I can’t understand why that’s not a try.

“At the moment, we’ll wait to hear what they’ve got to say. If it’s not a try because he’s not grounded it, then why is he not deliberately knocking it out of his hands and a knock-on? I’ll have to wait and hear what they’re saying.”

Do yourself a favour and watch the entire discussion on Final Whistle in the video clip above.