Former Test referee Nigel Owens has stated that the television match official was incorrect to intervene in the incident which led to Louis Bielle-Biarrey\u2019s fourth try during the Six Nations finale.<\/b><\/p>\n
England were leading 39-38 and had a scrum just inside the France half when Jack van Poortvliet threw the ball out.<\/p>\n
It touched Francois Cros\u2019 hands and referee Nika Amashukeli immediately signalled a penalty advantage for a deliberate knock-on.<\/p>\n
However, the TMO intervened and communicated to Amashukeli that it was not deliberate, which led to the sanction being reduced.<\/p>\n
Not heard by England<\/p>\n
That communication was not heard by a number of England<\/a> players and, thinking they had a penalty, went for a speculative kick.<\/p>\n France then collected the ball and countered with Bielle-Biarrey outpacing the cover defence and touching down.<\/p>\n \u201cPersonally, I would have stuck with my on-field decision. I would have given what I\u2019ve seen,\u201d Owens<\/a> said on World Rugby\u2019s Whistle Watch<\/a> show.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have two options. You either say to the TMO: \u2018No, I\u2019m happy with this\u2019, and then you carry on or you go, \u2018look guys, I got this wrong so the fair thing to do here is I\u2019m going to go back and it will be scrum your (England) ball from the knock-on\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is, for me, the right thing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n A TMO is allowed to come in with the game still live when the referee has missed something, but a sanction had already been awarded by Amashukeli and it was not a clear and obvious error.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the officiating team will learn from this is that scenario; you stick with your on-field decision because the TMO was actually outside of protocol \u2013 you can\u2019t come in for that, it is not within protocol,\u201d Owens said.<\/p>\n It was a unique situation and one Owens hopes is refereed differently should it happen again.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s say he does come in and you change your mind, I think you\u2019ve got to say: \u2018Hang on lads, it\u2019s a bit messy, we\u2019ve got it wrong, knock-on only, scrum England ball\u2019. That would be the fair thing to do,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cFrance probably wouldn\u2019t have scored from that.\u201d<\/p>\n Steve Borthwick demands clarity after controversial officiating calls as World Rugby admit to previous error<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n France pip Ireland to title<\/p>\n