BY JONATHAN DRENNAN (THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD)
Fiji coach Mick Byrne said he would seek clarification with World Rugby about a contentious review that overturned a potential match-winning try against the Wallabies in Newcastle – but was based on an Australian error, and not a Fijian one.
The mistake-riddled Wallabies got out of jail with a 21-18 win at McDonald Jones Stadium, courtesy of a 78th-minute try to captain Harry Wilson, which saw the home team snatch victory from the jaws of an embarrassing defeat on the eve of the three-Test Lions series.
After trailing the Wallabies 14-0 near halftime, Fiji scored after the halftime siren and then scored twice more in a dominant second-half. The Fijians led by four points with minutes remaining and were on the cusp of their first win in Australia since 1954, and back-to-back wins over the Wallabies for the first time.
Wilson’s late try saved the Wallabies but it could have been a different story if a Fijian try in the 60th minute was not disallowed.
In bizarre scenes, Fiji crossed the line after kicking downfield, pressuring Nick Frost into a turnover and then passing wide for Sireli Maqala to cross.
It could have seen the Fijians climb to an imposing eight-point lead with 20 minutes to play, but the try was overturned after the TMO advised referee to look at a possible foot in touch from Wallabies winger Harry Potter.
The Australian had faintly stepped on the line after fielding the Fijian kick and then passing infield to Frost.
“I just need to clarify with World Rugby,” Byrne said. “The Brumbies got a try taken off them this year and I think they went back 19 phases. I understand that. You can go back as many phases as you can in your possession.
“I didn’t know now we can go back to opposition possession as well. Maybe next year when they change it, we might be able to go back 10 minutes and find something. Maybe I’m wrong. I’ll just get clarity on it because I thought you could only go back on your possession.”
Fiji captain Tevita Ikanivere said it was “frustrating”.
“You work hard and then you see they made a mistake and then you have to come back for their mistake. But they’re the boss. They make the call and everybody listens,” Ikanivere said.
World Rugby regulations say general play can be reviewed up to two phases before a try (foul play can be longer), meaning the ruling was correct. Fiji were ultimately victims of their own brilliance, having not been tackled after the Frost turnover. If they’d had just one more ruck, the Potter foot in touch would not have been reviewable.
Byrne said the defeat was a “gut punch” and suggested the Fijians had been motivated by public commentary of the Test being a “warm-up” for the Wallabies ahead of the Lions series.
“The game goes both ways. It’s just gutting for the players when they do everything they can and sort of take them out of their hands. But we’re not here to focus on that,” Byrne said.
“I just want to congratulate the Wallabies. They hung in there as well. But for our players where we were at half-time and the way the game was, I think we were 35 per cent territory. We scrambled well. We held on to the game.
“We scored that try just before half-time and then got the job done in the second half. I think that’s the things we need to focus on of the rugby, the quality of the rugby that was played in the second half. Everyone’s talking about the Wallabies’ warm-up game, so I hope they feel nice and warmed up.
“I wouldn’t be taking too much away from our effort today. I wouldn’t be going down the road saying the Wallabies didn’t step up. I’d say, ‘Get ready for us. We’re coming’.”
The Wallabies’ victory ended their winless run in Newcastle and saved them the sharp embarrassment of a defeat ahead the massive series coming up in two weeks.
