Former referee Nigel Owens says that Hollie Davidson was let down by TMO Ian Tempest during the Six Nations clash between Ireland and Italy.<\/p>\n
This, after Italy\u2019s Louis Lyangh was denied what he deemed was a perfectly legal try that was ultimately ruled out for a forward pass by Tommaso Menoncello.<\/p>\n
The incident occurred in the 51st minute of the match as the Italian<\/a> centre dummied at the line and escaped the clutches of Jack Conan and cantered into space inside the Irish<\/a> half.<\/p>\n Just before Ireland\u2019s 22 metre line, Menoncello fired a pass out to his winger but the ball crossed the line before Lynagh caught it, suggesting that it was a forward pass.<\/p>\n Davidson<\/a> awarded the try live but was soon prompted by Tempest to review the pass and eventually, she conceded to the TMO insistence that it was a clear and obvious forward pass.<\/p>\n It proved to be a pivotal decision in the match as it denied Italy the opportunity to go in front with the scores level at 10 points apiece at the time.<\/p>\n Nigel Owens on Italy\u2019s disallowed try and what he wanted to see from Hollie Davidson<\/p>\n Robert Baloucoune scored a five-pointer soon after to rub salt into the Azzurri\u2019s wounds as Ireland took control of the fixture and held out for a 13-20 victory.<\/p>\n Appearing on World Rugby\u2019s Whistle Watch<\/a>, Owens<\/a> says that he wishes that Davidson was more convincing in her decision-making, as she got the call correct on the field.<\/p>\n \u201cSo I would have liked Hollie to stick with that decision to say \u2018No, this is not clear and obvious for me from what I\u2019m seeing on the screen. We\u2019re sticking with the on-field decision,’\u201d he said when discussing the incident with former Wales and Lions back Alex Cuthbert.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you think Al as a winger?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor me, I\u2019m scoring that corner, and for me it\u2019s a try,\u201d Cuthbert replied.<\/p>\n Owens added: \u201cSo how fast were they running with the ball?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d say Menoncello is going be running 20 to 25kp\/h at least,\u201d Cuthbert answered.<\/p>\n \u201cSo when you\u2019re running at 25kp\/h and throwing a pass out to a guy who is maybe 10, 15, 20m away, that ball is travelling the same speed as you. So, as long as that ball leaves your hands flat or backwards \u2013 it\u2019s not passed forward \u2013 whatever happens, that ball is going to land further forward than where you passed it,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n Six Nations: Five things we learnt from round two as Borthwick\u2019s bomb squad \u2018implodes\u2019 while officials\u2019 influence evident<\/a><\/p>\n Try should have stood<\/p>\n \u201cSo in this instance, when Menoncello is running with the ball, it does not leave his hands forward \u2013 that\u2019s the key. It leaves his hands fine, but obviously, it\u2019s travelling the same speed as him. So when it goes to the other side, it is then a bit more forward than where it was when it left his hands.<\/p>\n \u201cSo what you\u2019ve got to be careful of is that you don\u2019t judge forward passes on the lines on the field because they can really give you an incorrect outcome to the decision-making process.\u201d<\/p>\n