Rugby World Rugby chief disappointed with Joe's clearout claim

WORLD Rugby has rejected Joe Schmidt's claim that the decision not to punish Jac Morgan’s clearout in Australia’s defeat by the British and Irish Lions on Saturday contravened the game's player safety principles.

- Duncan BECH

Hugo Keenan touched down with 51 seconds left at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but the match-winning try was only given after the TMO had reviewed Morgan’s contact with Carlo Tizzano in the preceding ruck, which was ultimately deemed legal by referee Andrea Piardi.

Furious Schmidt, who had seen his Wallabies edged out 29-26 to concede the series with one Test to play, insisted it was the wrong call, adding that “it doesn’t really live up to the big player safety push that they (World Rugby) are talking about”.

Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh backed Schmidt's view that it was a dangerous clearout and the try should have been disallowed.