Nigel Owens says that Dan Sheehan was correctly penalised for attempting to dive over Italy\u2019s defence during the Six Nations clash at the Aviva Stadium.<\/p>\n
The Ireland<\/a> hooker got away with the action during the 2025 British and Irish Lions Test against Australia but conceded a penalty during the round two fixture last weekend.<\/p>\n From a quick tap five metres from the Italian try-line, Sheehan<\/a> attempted to launch himself over the Azzurri<\/a> defence, but they were alert to his intentions with Simone Ferrari and co. hitting the front-rower in the air and driving him backwards.<\/p>\n Dan Sheehan was rightly penalised<\/p>\n Referee Hollie Davidson was quick in her decision-making, penalising Sheehan for his actions. However, that call has caused some confusion with a grey area remaining that a player is allowed to jump in a try-scoring action, but cannot do so in order to avoid a tackle.<\/p>\n Appearing on World Rugby\u2019s Whistle Watch<\/a> show, Owens<\/a> dissected the incident with former Wales and Lions winger Alex Cuthbert.<\/p>\n \u201cFirst up, seven minutes in Dan Sheehan\u2019s penalty for diving into contact. We\u2019ve seen it before, haven\u2019t we?\u201d Cuthbert asked the former referee.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, we have and then a ruling came out regarding it, actually,\u201d Owens said, referencing a World Rugby law clarification back in 2022.<\/p>\n \u201cSo what you\u2019ve got to do is this: if you\u2019re diving in the act of scoring a try, so like you on the wing when you go diving the corner, that\u2019s fine.<\/p>\n Nigel Owens: Hollie Davidson should have stuck by her \u2018decision\u2019 as TMO makes incorrect call<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cNow, what you can\u2019t do is dive to avoid being tackled. So, you\u2019re not actually diving for the line. You\u2019re diving to avoid the tackle and then carry on to get over the line \u2013 that is not allowed.<\/p>\n \u201cJumping over into tackle would be deemed to be dangerous play as well, because when you\u2019re diving, technically in law, the tackler is not allowed to carry in the air, but we allow that if you\u2019re in the act of diving to score a try.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, quite rightly, they penalised Dan Sheehan here because he jumped to avoid the tackle rather than a natural action to score a try.\u201d<\/p>\n Nigel Owens\u2019 verdict on Craig Casey\u2019s card after Andy Farrell demands \u2018cleaning up\u2019 of law<\/a><\/p>\n Italy has a world class front row, but also a world class reserve front row. \u2014 Filippo Frati (@filippofrati1) February 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Similar incident<\/p>\n By chance, a similar incident occurred during the Chiefs\u2019 Super Rugby Pacific match against the Blues with lock Tupou Vaa\u2019i jumping over the defence in the act of scoring. The try was awarded in this case but a statement from the tournament organisers confirmed that it was the incorrect decision from referee Ben O\u2019Keeffe and his officiating team.<\/p>\n \u201cThe review concluded that Vaa\u2019i\u2019s actions constituted leaving the ground to avoid a tackle, rather than simply diving forward to score a try, and that as a result the try should not have been awarded,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n Adding: \u201cThe relevant law provision is World Rugby Clarification 3-2022: In principle, in a try scoring situation, if the action is deemed to be a dive forward for a try, then it should be permitted. If a player is deemed to have left the ground to avoid a tackle; or to jump, or hurdle a potential tackler, then this is dangerous play and should be sanctioned accordingly.\u201d<\/p>\n Vern Cotter applauds Super Rugby but issues \u2018not there yet\u2019 verdict on World Rugby after All Blacks star\u2019s unlawful try<\/a><\/p>\n Continuing the debate, Cuthbert posed the question to Owens as to what the difference is between diving to avoid a tackle or diving to score a try.<\/p>\n Owens replied: \u201cThe difference will be, did you actually dive to avoid the tackle, or is it a natural action to score? When you naturally go for the try line, then that\u2019s fine, but if you\u2019re sort of jumping to avoid the tackler and then getting to the line is another phase in that action, then that would be deemed a penalty.<\/p>\n Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for world-class coverage you can trust.<\/p>\n \u201cJonny May did it at Twickenham, where he unnaturally jumped up, landed and then went over \u2013 so that is not allowed.\u201d<\/p>\n
And not only at scrum time, they work rate is crazy.#6Nations<\/a> #IREvITA<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Kg1Lf6hodd<\/a><\/p>\n