Scotland were left fuming at the end of Saturday's Six Nations crunch clash with France at Murrayfield, as a controversial late TMO call denied them a famous victory.
Having led for much of the game, Gregor Townsend's Scottish side found themselves chasing the game late on after a brilliant try from Louise Bielle-Biarrey with just over ten minutes to go.
Scotland thought they had gotten a famous winner with the last play of the game, as the TMO inspected an on-field call from Nic Berry that the ball had been held up. However, there was no angle which conclusively proved that the ball was both grounded and over the line, so the on-field call stood.
𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐀𝐍 𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄! 🤯
▪️ Scotland think they score
▪️ 80th minute match winning try
▪️ Referee doesn't give it
▪️ Lengthy TMO check
▪️ Not enough evidence to reverse it
Full-time score:
🏴 16-20 🇫🇷#SCOvFRA | #GuinnessSixNations pic.twitter.com/AjJFrGKxkk— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) February 10, 2024
Much of the post-match discussion has been defined by a predictable furore around the perceived injustice against Scotland. In typical fashion, Matt Williams has a contrary take suggesting that Scotland should have had the game long won even before the contentious TMO call.
READ HERE: Report: Alcohol-Free Zones Led To Some Farcical Scenes At Twickenham Six Nations Clash
READ HERE: James Lowe Reveals 'Emotional' Caelan Doris Speech Before Ireland Captaincy Bow
Matt Williams rips into Scotland for lack of conviction
There have been plenty of near-misses for Scotland in recent memory in the Six Nations, and Saturday's was perhaps the most heartbreaking due to the questionable nature of the final call from the referee.
Appearing on Tuesday's episode of The Stand with Eamon Dunphy, however, pundit and ex-coach Matt Williams had little sympathy for Scotland.
When asked about the decisive TMO call, Williams instead chose to focus on the fact that Scotland brought the situation upon themselves with their sloppy defence and poor decision-making:
France should have lost in Murrayfield. In many ways, Scotland lost that game.
There were a number of parts to the TMO call.
First of all, Scotland played well. Right on half-time, they had an opportunity, a penalty right in front [of the posts] from a scrum. They had a penalty to take three points, and they went for another scrum - the referee penalised them from the scrum. I'm sitting there thinking, 'boys, it's international rugby. It's at the 41-minute mark. Take your three points.' That proved crucial.
They also defended in their 22 really poorly. They defended a three -point lead against France. It's five points for a try - you can't defend a three-point lead, you've got to attack it!
They kept kicking the ball away...France were poor but France put in about eight seconds of brilliance, scored a try and converted. All of a sudden, with minutes to go, Scotland had to play.
Williams credited referee Berry, saying that he felt his countryman had largely had a strong game in Edinburgh.
There have been calls for the procedures surrounding TMO checks to change, and Williams sympathised with the match officials in the case of the final incident of Saturday's game.
The Aussie felt that the TMO understood that a try probably should be awarded but that the specific nature of TMO checks did not allow wiggle room.
Even after breaking down the nitty-gritty of the TMO call, Williams still found time to stick the knife in Scotland:
To be fair to the match official, unless he can prove that the ball was put down over the line, you've got to support the referee. He could see it was put down but he couldn't see if it was put down over the line.
I really felt for the officials. I thought it was a try, everyone watching thought it was a try, I think the TMO thought it was a try! But he just couldn't prove it, so they had to say no try. I don't believe justice was done but they are rules and the way that it's set, and that's the way it panned out.
The Scots, again, they should have won that game. They're just so inconsistent across the matches, they were inconsistent against Wales in the halves, and they were inconsistent in that second-half again. They should have beaten a very, very ordinary France.
It has been a shaky start for Scotland, who could just have easily have come away from their first two games with zero points.
They welcome England to Twickenham next, on February 24th at 4:45pm.
SEE ALSO: Andrew Trimble Gave Fascinating Insight Into Modern 'Nuanced' Ulster Identity
