While it was not Ireland's best performance, Andy Farrell's side came away from last weekend's rugby game against South Africa knowing that they could have won the match had a couple of things gone differently over the course of the contest.
Ireland were not at their brilliant best during the fixture in Pretoria, especially in attack. However, the game was very much in the balance in the final quarter, with a couple of individual errors costing them a potential victory.
Of course, they weren't helped by a few refereeing decisions over the course of the game.
The tourists certainly came out on the wrong end of a number of marginal calls, especially in the second half. The disallowed James Lowe try was particularly controversial, with many feeling that the TMO intervention that ultimately overturned the call for an apparent infringement in the ruck was uncalled for.
NO TRY! ❌
James Lowe thought he got Ireland back into the game, a TMO check has ruled that out 👀 pic.twitter.com/RJx2v8Ju7d— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) July 6, 2024
READ HERE: South Africa Hooker Calls Out Ireland 'Tricks' In The Scrum During First Test
Rugby: Owens Explains Why Officials Got Disallowed Lowe Try Wrong
Nigel Owens is someone who knows the laws of rugby as well as anyone, with the former referee feeling that there is no way that this James Lowe try should have been disallowed.
Speaking on the World Rugby YouTube channel, the Welshman said that the Ireland score should have stood and that the TMO Ben White stepped well outside his remit by intervening on this occasion.
This is not what we want the TMO coming in for.
Ben White, the TMO, should not be coming in here, because it's what we call a very grey area, very technical. It's not a clear and obvious offence.
What we want the TMOs to do is come in when it's clear and obvious, when it's 100 per cent beyond any debate whether an offence has taken place.
In this instance, it isn't. It's very technical and an offence that we would be playing on for anyway.
In this instance, the try should have been allowed to stand because the TMO should not have come in for something that is very, very, very technical like this.
This try being allowed to stand could have had a big impact on the result of the rugby game, putting Ireland in an excellent position to go and win the match.
Andy Farrell was clearly unhappy with a number of decisions that went against his side during the first test, so it will be interesting to see how the two teams are refereed during tomorrow's clash between the two sides.
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