“That’s the right call. You can’t give a penalty try.”
Wayne Barnes with a huge call, early on, and though Alan Quinlan (over on Virgin Media) agreed with him, few other Irish supporters did.
Ireland went into the Guinness 2020 Six Nations finalé knowing that a six-point win with at least one try scored on the night would make them champions.
After only six minutes, however, Ireland found themselves 7-0 behind after Gael Fickou and Antoine Dupont linked up for a fantastic score.
Ireland responded strongly and a smart Johnny Sexton kick in behind the French lines had the hosts in all sorts of trouble. Hugo Keenan looked set to score but could only juggle the ball before France fullback Anthony Bouthier scrambled over.
Bouthier swatted the ball straight out of play with something akin to a volleyball spike, leaving Barnes with no option but to sent him to the sin-bin.
It looked, for all money, that Bouthier would cost his side a penalty try – for denying Keenan and clear try-scoring opportunity – but Barnes was not so sure. After watching multiple replays, he eventually decided that Keenan may have overrun the ball and that Fickou may have been able to make a covering tackle.
It was harsh enough on Keenan and Ireland as the Leinster man would have re-gathered possession a yard from the tryline were it not for the Bouthier intervention.
That huge Wayne Barnes call (no penalty try)
Thoughts? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/p4mzWLhLPz
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) October 31, 2020
Those arguing the case for Barnes would say that Keenan would have to pause to re-gather the ball and that split second may have been enough for Fickou to lay in a meaningful tackle.
To make matters worse for Ireland, they kicked to touch but lost possession through a knock-on, soon after. Cian Healy did get over for a converted try when Bouthier was in the sin-bin and a Johnny Sexton penalty on 25 minutes put the visitors 10-7 ahead.
Then, on 28 minutes, Barnes did award a penalty try but it went France’s way. Jacob Stockdale made a hames of gathering the ball and Caelan Doris tackled François Cros, off the ball, to deny a certain score.
😫😫😫
Bad mistake from Jacob Stockdale.
Caelan Doris with the foul.
Penalty try for France.#FRAvIRE | #GuinnessSixNations | #VMTVRugby pic.twitter.com/qnM6pXJ3gx— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) October 31, 2020
A tale of two big penalty try calls and both went against the men in green.
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