Penalty Try

Quote: Kiwi Shane "The question here is whether it was a penalty [sizeTRY[/size not a penalty!

Arrrrgh this is just going round in circles. No penalty try for me for the reasons I've stated earlier. I'm not making any further comments on the thread!!!

You my friend, and the Aussie commentators, need to read the actual law relating to a Penalty Try and not what you or they think the law says or even should say...

"the Referee may award a penalty try if, in his opinion, a try would have been scored but for the unfair play of the defending team."

There are a few things in that law that you and they need to read. First thing, in his opinion - so Ian Smith opinion is the only one that counts, and he gave a penalty try!

Second, and the bit seems to be going way over your head and the head of the commentators "a try would have been scored but for the unfair play of the defending team". So, this is what he is judging it on and the reason he gave and indeed the reason it was clearly a penalty try. The act of foul play, did it prevent what would have been highly likely to have been a try. You can never say for certain any try would have been scored, because that is impossible... unless you have a time machine. So all this bull crap about Hall not dropping the ball because of Thurston is actually irrelevant to the decision because, the foul play happened and it influenced the course of play, even if just by a split second. Has, as been pointed out, had Thurston made a legal, instead of an illegal challenge on Hall then would he, in the opinion of the video ref, been highly likely to score. The only fair answer to that question is yes, given his proximity to the line. So the fact Hall dropped the ball, whether because of him dropping it, knees in the tackle etc is IRRELEVANT to the decision given.

You need to understand what the law actual says, before commenting upon it!