‘We know it’s a penalty’ – TJ Perenara

Hurricanes scrum-half feels his side was robbed of a penalty in the dying moments of their Super Rugby semi-final loss to the Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday.

This, after Crusaders captain Sam Whitelock illegally played the ball at a ruck close to his tryline with the Hurricanes on the attack.

Referee Nic Berry missed the offence from Whitelock and ruled that Perenara had knocked on when trying to clear the ball from the ruck.

The Crusaders were awarded a scrum and subsequently cleared the ball into touch after the final hooter had sounded. That meant they held on for a narrow 30-26 victory and they will now face the Jaguares in the final in Christchurch on Saturday.

Perenara did not hold back when asked about the incident after the match.

“I guess it was pretty clear and obvious,” he told TVNZ.

“We all probably know, we have seen it.

“We know it’s a penalty. The ref can’t see everything. He makes a call, and calls it a knock on.

“Sometimes we expect a penalty, there, for a deliberate knock down; but it is what it is in a game of footy.”

Hurricanes head coach John Plumtree agreed with Perenara, but said there was little point confronting the ref about it.

“It’s too late now,” he told Stuff.