Unbelievable decision,how can any referee,having slow motion, give a try.

I always thought it was to have 'downward pressure', surely the end of a little finger 'somewhere' on the ball cannot be acceptable as control. I thought he was nowhere near it. Far too much inconsistency as well, we have had them chalked off by the video ref after the ref gave an on field try with the Sky team being baffled as to why it was chalked off.

It isn't much use making comments if you don't know the rules. Missing the ball isn't needed - indeedit is likely he brushed the side of the ball as he tried to ground it. What he needs to be satisfied is that there was no downward pressure. I'm sorry, but anyone who clutches at straws claiming there may have been downward pressure is just being argumentative for the sake of it. There was no downward pressure and it is silly to say there may have been.



Indeed, but if the rules had wanted to include "brushing" the ball then they would add it. As it is, there has to be downward pressure.


Nonsense. Not in the actual Laws of the Game.


Not necessary. If any part of the hand makes any contact at all with the top surface of the ball whilst the ball is on the ground then that is downward pressure. We don't need "significant". We just need people to accept that sideways brushes can't be called downwrad pressure. We need to ask ourselves, when they wrote that definition, did they mean to include what Manfredi did? The answer is a resounding "Of course they fukken didn't!"

Listen, the only people saying Hicks was in the right are those arguing about some arcane view of the VR protocol, but NOBODY is saying they thought Manfredi scored a try having seen the replays. If your argument is, "I am pretty certain it wasn't a try, but Hicks was right to give it", then you are supporting a version of the rule that would bring the game into disrepute. The whole point of the VR is meant to be to above all get the decision right.

That we arrived at a plainly bad decision is bad enough. If you're saying the same should happen the next time, then I give up.

If he brushed the ball as his hand moved downwards then it's downward pressure, however small an amount. But honestly it doesn't matter now, don't let it keep you awake at 2am!

The difference is at a non televised game then there would be an in goal judge, he would have had the best view, and pretty sure it would have been disallowed, if there was in goal ref at that game even with video ref, pretty sure it would have gone up as no try.

Fact is everyone except the video ref thought it was no try, fortunately it not not effect the game.

As a Cas fan I have to agree with your interpretation, including your previous posts. As iniquitous as the decision was. I said to the tigress it was never a try but the VR would have to give it.