OPINION: Controversial refereeing decision leaves rugby fans scratching their heads
Referee Andrea Piardi, left, speaks with the players during the Test between the British and Irish Lions and Australia in Melbourne on Saturday. Picture: Izhar Khan/You see, this is why rugby is so confusing. And infuriating. And simply too difficult to understand for the casual observer.
It's nothing new of course. The problem is there are just too many laws, too many things that depend on one human's beliefs, thoughts and observations.
I'm of course referring to the decisions that get made in rugby matches.
As hard as World Rugby tries to get it right, with strict rules in place about what constitutes foul play, it's not black and white and thus is open to interpretation and subjective thought.
And depending on who you support, you'll either believe the referee and officials got the decision right or you'll say they got it completely wrong.
So, if you're a British and Irish Lions supporter you'll agree that referee Andrea Piardi made the right call in allowing Hugo Keenan's late winning try to stand against the Wallabies in Melbourne on Saturday in the second Test despite an alleged dangerous clean-out at a ruck moments before.
In the lead up to the try, the Lions' Jac Morgan flew into a ruck that was being contested by Wallabies flanker Carlo Tizzano who was attempting to win a turnover, with the contact sending the latter flying out of the ruck.
While the incident was reviewed, Piardi and his officiating team deemed it to be a fair clean-out.
Another look at the cleanout.
Again, perfectly good. #Lions2025pic.twitter.com/3dKi9mVIEw — Tight Five Rugby (@TightFive_Rugby) July 26, 2025
'Different decision on another day'
Well, was it, and did they get it spot on? Or did the referee and his team not have the guts to make a hard result-changing, career-changing, potential series-changing decision?
If you watched the match and saw the incident you'll know that in many Test matches and throughout the United Rugby Championship, clean-outs like the one mentioned here result in penalties and yellow cards to offending players.
While Lions boss Andy Farrell described the win as 'fairytale stuff' and 'what we have dreamed of', Australia coach Joe Schmidt said, 'We can all see clear contact with the back of the neck which might be a different decision on another day and another time. I'm just gutted.'
What decision would have been made if the scoreline was different and if the incident took place in the 20th minute and not the 80th? That's rugby for you, so hard to understand sometimes.
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