Finn Russell was one of tens of thousands of Scots at Murrayfield who felt Scotland had done enough to secure a last-minute victory over France.
Scotland led from the seventh minute until the 70th minute, but when Sam Skinner sprinted to the line as time expired, the referee’s on-the-spot ruling was that the ball had been blocked. This places the onus on TV match officials to seek evidence to the contrary.
The shot was inconclusive, so what would have been a winning attempt could not be awarded. “For me, this is a last ditch effort,” Russell said. “That’s not for me to decide. That’s the referee’s business. That’s why he got the job.”
Nic Berry was faced with the unenviable task of deciding on the spot whether a shot was likely to score. His initial feeling was that the ball didn’t hit the ground, but he could just as easily have made the opposite decision. In moments like these, the game shifts.
France, of course, took the opposite position. Their captain Gregory Aldritt, who was stretchered off the field early in the second half, felt the result was correct. “For me, this is not an experiment,” he said. “I’m just waiting for a decision, but I can’t imagine trying.”
“It’s great for the suspense and the audience,” said his coach Fabien Galthié. “Great for advertising. The show is over. We’re delighted.”
Scotland must now regroup and prepare for England’s visit in two weeks’ time. “We have to accept this defeat and get better results for England,” Russell said. “We can’t let the referees dictate what happens in games. We have to play better and make these games win. The way we came back into the game, I believe the way we scored, showed our character. I feel for the kids. Proud. We will learn from this.”
“We celebrated in the coaches box,” Gregor Townsend said. “We could hear the TMO talking to the referee. He said the ball was on his feet and then it dropped. Then he changed his mind and said: ‘Stick to the on-the-spot decision. “I don’t know what you can say.”
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This is the second week in a row that Scotland have been denied a last-ditch attempt by the TMO due to a failed grounding. Last week’s decision only cost them one extra point. This is even more unbearable. Now respond to the British visit to China.
