Wales benefit from TMO call clearly influenced by Scotland v France controversy

Jared Wright
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Wales players appeal to the referee before being awarded a penalty try during the Guinness Six Nations match at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.

Wales players appeal to the referee before being awarded a penalty try during the Guinness Six Nations match at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.

Wales benefitted from Scotland’s misery as a TMO decision went their way in the Six Nations clash against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.

Warren Gatland’s charges were awarded a penalty try after Tadhg Beirne was judged to have cynically denied Wales a try early in the second half.

The discussion between referee Andrea Piardi, who became the first Italian to referee a Six Nations match, and his TMO Eric Gauzins was vastly different to that of Nic Berry and his team in the clash between Scotland and France in round two.

TMO call goes in Wales’ favour

Berry felt judged that Sam Skinner had been held up over the line and stated that his own field decision was no try, leaving his TMO needing clear evidence that a try had been scored to overrule his decision.

In the end, TMO Brian MacNeice and Berry denied Skinner the try as he could not find clear evidence as Scotland fell to a 16-20 defeat.

However, a change in the wording of the discussion during the clash at Aviva Stadium led to a different outcome as Piardi refused to make an on-field decision.

“We don’t have the grounding, we need to see if they scored a try and the action of number five green in changing his bind or not,” Piardi told TMO Gauzins.

Gauzins replied: “On-field decision is no try, checking the grounding.”

Piardi quickly clarified, stating, “I don’t have the on-field decision.”

Piardi discussed the decision as the incident was replayed on the big screens in the stadium with Gauzins confirming that there was no grounding.

However, the Italian referee added: “Because number five changes his bind, and arrived to the ball carrier, I think it’s a penalty try and a yellow card to number five”, and his assistants agreed.

Beirne was subsequently sent to the sin bin while Wales were awarded the penalty try as Wales finally got on the board after being held scoreless in the first half.

Scotland ‘absolutely robbed’ as TMO denies match-winning try against France

The difference in the approach from Piardi and Berry did not go unnoticed by onlookers.

“Interesting to see the referee not making a decision on try/no try, possibly a consequence of the recent Scotland game,” EK Rugby wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Rúaidhrí O’Connor added: “Andrea Piardi taking no position on this TMO check, saying ‘I don’t have a decision’. Scotland fans can only sigh.”

READ MORE: ‘Nothing else like it’ – Why Nigel Owens ranks the Six Nations better than the Rugby Championship

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