During Pau-Bulls this Friday evening, English referee Karl Dickson saw the jersey of South African hooker Akker van der Merwe pulled, allowing him to reduce the score in the first act.
The extract has been the subject of discussion for several hours. This Friday, the Paloise Section was eliminated from the Champions Cup in the group stage, following its defeat against the Pretoria Blue Bulls (24-26).
A match marked by intriguing action in the first act. As the South Africans drove a carried ball inside 22 yards, hooker Akker van der Merwe saw the evening referee, Karl Dickson, pull his shirt to warn him of the ineffectiveness of the maul. Result ? Van der Merwe starts, resists two Béarnais defenders – certainly surprised – and finishes in the goal.
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If Sébastien Piqueronies’ men obviously did not give up their qualification on this simple test, the controversy is understandable. A referee can orally alert a player to the ineffectiveness of a carried ball but does not have to play the role of scrum half.
Another action also emerged on social networks. On the winning try scored by Nizaam Carr in the 73rd minute, the English referee seemed to hinder winger Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, who had come to defend on the line at the edge of the ruck.
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