Joe Marler mocks RFU statement on ‘regrettable’ TMO incident during Saracens v Harlequins game

England and Harlequins prop Joe Marler does not appear to be convinced by the statement which attempted to explain the controversial TMO incident from the Premiership at the weekend.

The Rugby Football Union’s Professional Game Match Officials Team responded after video referee Stuart Terheege seemed to ignore foul play because it had been “instigated” by co-commentator Austin Healey.

Terheege was listening to Healey’s commentary on TNT Sports when the ex-England back referenced a hit by Quins’ Stephan Lewies on Sarries skipper Owen Farrell just prior to Juan Martin Gonzalez’s try in the second half of Saturday’s Premiership match.

The TMO was then heard saying on TNT Sports’ coverage: “The problem I have got now is that it looks like Austin has instigated it, because we’re late, so I don’t want to talk about it, OK?”

It raised the question of integrity and whether match officials should be placed in a spot where the commentary is being played out.

Progressive Rugby also slammed the incident after professor John Fairclough said it was a “clear dereliction of a match official’s duty to ensure player safety.”

Response of the match officials’ governing body

PGMOT have since refuted that suggestion following a statement released on Tuesday.

They insisted that the incident was “regrettable” but that “Match officials take player welfare incredibly seriously and it is their overriding priority.”

It also went on to try and clear up the timeline of events and the confusion surrounding what happened.

“At the time of the Farrell try, the Television Match Official (TMO), Stuart Terheege asked the TNT Sports Director for clips around the incident to review in the background before deciding whether to call an official review into the foul play incident, or not,” the PGMOT statement read.

“This is a common request from TMO to Director, that occurs in rugby broadcasting to enable the TMO to decide whether an official review is required. Simultaneously, the TMO also checked the grounding on the Saracens try.

“In relation to the act of foul play committed by Stephen (sic) Lewies against Owen Farrell, the TMO saw the initial contact off the ball. He decided on the evidence that it was no more than a penalty advantage. As Saracens went onto score, that advantage was deemed to have been taken, so no further action was required.

RFU to investigate Saracens v Harlequins TMO controversy as Joe Marler wades in

“In response to Stuart’s initial request for images the Director asked the TMO if he wanted to look again at the incident. The TMO declined, as he was confident in his original decision. At the same time, the TNT Sports commentary team also saw the replays and posed the question whether Lewies’ actions warranted a review.

“TNT Sports’ audio directors can cut to the TMO if there is a moment when viewers would benefit from their insight in their decision-making. At this juncture, some of the conversation between the TMO and Match Director with regards to the replays requested and whether an official review was needed were broadcast ‘live’.

“The conversation between TMO and Director that was broadcast ‘live’ was regrettable, they were not intended to be heard outside of the broadcast truck nor were they the reason for the foul play incident not being formally reviewed.”

TMO ‘disappointed’

PGMOT also said that Terheege was “disappointed that he allowed himself to be distracted with interactions with the broadcast team” and that “TMOs do not actively listen or react to the broadcast commentary team.”

“TMOs make their decisions independently, based on their own judgement, experience, and in line with agreed World Rugby protocols,” they added.

“However, due to their location at the matches, they sometimes overhear commentary. The nature of the audio configuration in some broadcast trucks and in some stadiums means the working environment varies from match to match.

The officiating body, alongside Premiership Rugby and TNT, have also vowed to take the necessary steps to avoid this situation in the future.

“The incident was an unusual and unfortunate occurrence. The PGMOT, Premiership Rugby and TNT Sports are working closely together to make sure this does not happen again. The three organisations enjoy a close and positive working relationship based on a mutually beneficial system that has worked for many years,” it read.

“All parties will continue to work hard to further refine and perfect systems to ensure player safety and high-quality rugby.”

Joe Marler’s reaction

Despite Marler’s side benefiting from the TMO’s decision not to get involved, the Quins prop has been outspoken on social media since the incident.

The loosehead branded it “ridiculous” on X, formerly Twitter, after the match before responding to the statement which was released on Tuesday.

Firstly, he tweeted several laughing face emojis before going on to write that “they don’t know their a*******s from their nose holes!”

Fortunately, the incident had no bearing on the match with Saracens emerging 52-7 triumphant over Harlequins, but Marler’s almost bemused reaction was a consistent theme on social media.

The PGMOT statement was called “absolute nonsense” on X while many questioned their timeline of events.

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