Nigel Owens offered clarification after Wales had an early try disallowed during their Six Nations showdown with England at the Principality Stadium on Saturday. The home side thought they had got off the mark after falling 7-0 behind as full-back Blair Murray raced clear and dived over the tryline.
The try was checked for a knock-on and offside by the TMO Mike Adamson, who initially indicated the try would be given. But it was eventually chalked off after Tomos Williams had been adjudged to have impeded England flanker Tom Curry while he was standing in an offside position. And the decision was explained by former referee Owens as he spoke to the BBC.
“If it’s come off the England player last, then the Welsh player should be onside,” Owens stated.
He then added: “That is the key, who has it come off last? it’s come off the Welsh players’ head last, which means Tomas Williams is in front and could have impacted on the English player getting to the ball. If it comes off the English player last, it’s play on.”
Ex-Wales hooker Ken Owens agreed with the former referee as he told Radio 5 Live: “It is the right decision. Not a massive impact, but Tomos Williams does impede Tom Curry.”
Wales had endured a nightmare run of results ahead of their clash with England, having lost 16 consecutive matches.
That run had ended Warren Gatland’s reign as Wales head coach midway through the Six Nations, with Matt Sherratt coming in to replace the former British & Irish Lions boss.
But Sherratt has been unable to turn the side’s form around, with Wales starting the day rock bottom of the Six Nations table ahead of the final round of matches.
Steve Borthwick’s men soon doubled their advantage as Smith converted a Tom Roebuck try, before Wales finally got on the board as Ben Thomas crossed the whitewash and Gareth Anscombe added the extras.
England dominated the opening period and added a third try through Tommy Freeman. Replacement lock Chandler Cunningham-South then handed England a try bonus point by bundling his way over for a fourth. And England added a fifth just before the break as Will Stuart dotted down to put the away side 33-7 ahead.
“This is the slickest I’ve seen England look for 12 to 18 months,” exclaimed ex-England scrum-half Danny Care on the BBC. “Wales are making it easy for them, England are toying with the Welsh defence.”
