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Controversial try off the kicking tee in France only eventually disallowed after review
By Josh Raisey
French ProD2 side Vannes thought they had discovered a loophole in the laws on Saturday when they scored a try against Soyaux-Angouleme.
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With a penalty kick in front of the posts, fly-half Christopher Hilsenbeck took advantage of his opponents being huddled under to posts to chip a kick from the tee to a vacant team-mate out wide to dot down unopposed.
The try was initially given by the referee before it was rescinded moments later. This was because Hilsenbeck had to make a genuine attempt at goal, which he obviously failed to do.
World Rugby clarified this in their law book, stating: “If the team indicates to the referee the intention to kick at goal, they must kick at goal.”
This was the Vannes kick:
#RugbyUnited
? El video de #rugby más extraño que vas a ver en el día de hoy !!!Vannes v Soyaux #ProD2 ??
Hilsenbeck pide palos, pero se hace el vivo y en lugar de patear asiste a Popelin para el try
El árbitro primero otorga la conquista pero luego se corrige y lo anula pic.twitter.com/j8xuXibkOx
— Fran Capizzi ???? (@Fran_Capizzi) December 10, 2019
This trick has shades of a try scored by David Humphreys for Ulster against London Irish in 2006 where the fly-half also took advantage of the opposition being huddled under the posts to run into the corner from a penalty out wide.
That try was awarded, although in retrospect it should not have as the tee had been brought out to signal a kick at goal. However, there was no such luck for Vannes on this occasion.
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Regardless of whether the try was awarded or not, this was poor sportsmanship and many will be relieved that such laws are in place to extinguish any hopes of exploiting potential loopholes like that.
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Latest Comments
The writer here ignores the fact that, following on from not taking the penalty kick, the All Blacks did manage to score a try a few minutes later. Not directly from the penalty awarded, but it is speculation to say that had they opted to take the koi they would have won. Even if they kicked it, which was no guarantee, they would still be trailing and would have had to start again at half-way.
Go to commentsI would be surprised if Sales Opoku Fordjour and Northampton’s Tommy Freeman are not in the team, Anthony Watson is also one that could go on the wing. One thing I must say is that the front 3 will get destroyed against a team like South Africa.
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