Former top international referee Nigel Owens disagreed with the punishment handed out to Exeter Chiefs wing Olly Woodburn.
Leicester Tigers were awarded a penalty try and the speedster a second yellow card when he attempted to stop Chris Ashton from scoring in the clash on Sunday.
Exeter were still in the contest at 22-12 down when Ashton ran towards the corner. Stuart Hogg then tackled the wing before Woodburn slid along the floor to help the Scottish full-back in his defensive duties as he took the Leicester man into touch.
Punishment upgraded
Referee Karl Dickson deemed that the 31-year-old had dived on the player, which is a penalty, and because it stopped Ashton from scoring, the punishment was upgraded to a penalty try and yellow card.
A dramatic five minutes of action between @LeicesterTigers and @ExeterChiefs 😳
Chris Ashton is denied Premiership try 100, before Olly Woodburn is given his marching orders after receiving a second yellow. Leicester are awarded a penalty try.#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/20dWUiJDHS
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) April 16, 2023
With Woodburn having already been sin-binned in the first half, he was duly red carded, leaving the Chiefs without a player for the rest of the game.
The Tigers took advantage of the extra man and ran riot as they ended up recording a 62-19 triumph with Ashton completing a hat-trick for his 99th, 100th and 101st Premiership tries.
Woodburn was punished under law 13.4 which states: “Players on their feet and without the ball must not fall on or over players on the ground who have the ball or who are near it.”
People have questioned that interpretation from Dickson with the Exeter back three player not ‘falling on’ Ashton but instead sliding into the Tigers flyer.
Instead, it could be covered under law 14.8d where a player must “not play the ball or attempt to tackle an opponent while on the ground near the tackle.”
Although the man in the middle was therefore within his right to call an infringement in this instance, Owens feels it could have a negative impact on the sport if similar incidents continue to be penalised.
“Personally if we penalise this then players will dive on the ground from 5m out, slide over knowing that it’s virtually impossible to defend it,” he wrote on Twitter.
“He doesn’t dive on him so for me I’d play on. But not sure if the refs have had a directive on it mind.
“(It’s the) same as law (which) says no hands in ruck but we will allow the scrum half to dig in and get the ball back. The law says no but we allow it.”
I can’t 🤷♂️🏉lol . Personally if we penalise this then players will dive on the ground from 5m out,slide over knowing that it’s virtually impossible to defend it. He doesn’t dive on him so for me I’d play on. But not sure if the refs have had a directive on it mind. https://t.co/YvtBQvl1Gz
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— Nigel Owens MBE (@Nigelrefowens) April 16, 2023
Amendment to the law
Respected analyst EK Rugby feels the law needs to be changed if that is continually going to be deemed a penalty in the future.
“Think there needs to be a rethink of law 13.4 for the act of scoring,” he wrote.
“Woodburn’s challenge doesn’t look dangerous at all here and, if anything, the law gets in the way of fair competition.
“Penalise the leading shoulders by all means as dangerous play, but not wraps like this.”
Others pointed to this incident from earlier in the season, which was not penalised. Interestingly the referee on this occasion was also Dickson.
An all-timer tap tackle from AJ MacGinty pic.twitter.com/az9rFeTaJV
— Pat McCarry (@patmccarry) December 27, 2022
Commentator Dave Rogers responded to that clip and said: “Food for thought. With today’s application of the law: Penalty try, yellow card, Quins probably in the playoffs, Bristol possibly missing out on Champions Cup. Olly Woodburn *Very* unlucky today.”