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'100 per cent it happened' - Pat Lam infuriated over crucial call

By PA
(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Bristol Bears boss Pat Lam claims his players were convinced there was a knock-on during the build-up to the crucial try that allowed Bordeaux-Begles to book their ticket into the quarter-finals of the Heineken Champions Cup.

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Lam will raise the incident with EPCR referees director Joel Jutge this week and ask why it took so long to get the images of the incident and why there were so few camera angles.

In the end, Scottish referee Mike Adamson and his TMO Neil Paterson were not convinced that home number eight Scott Higginbotham had knocked on a Bristol pass in his 22. Moments later, after the ball had been hacked upfield, replacement hooker Joseph Dweba drove over for a game-breaking score.

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“We have to go through a process, but we had the advantage of seeing the incident live and the players know 100 per cent it happened. Unfortunately, suddenly there is no footage of it,” said Lam.

“The whole bench were calling knock-on at the time, but we didn’t get the decision and we will just have to move on. We will leave it for Joel Jutge to sort out.

“We are frustrated because we know we were good enough to win that game. But this is what makes you stronger and sometimes you’ve got to get here and experience it.

“We genuinely had an opportunity to win that game and we are kicking ourselves. It is hard to take but it is what we’ve got to do.”

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Bristol were hoping to reach the last eight in the top tier of European competition for the first time in their history and lost scrum-half Harry Randall in the second half. That forced them to end the game without a specialist number nine.

“We will review the game and either way, regardless of the performance of the referee, we will go through all the clips from the game. We are the same, not everyone gets everything right, but the way we grow, and the referees grow, is through feedback,” added Lam.

“There are more than two cameras and the coaches could hear the TMO behind us and they were asking for angles and it took time for them to come. That’s over to the referees and the broadcasters to find the feedback and to ask why it took so long.

“You’ve all seen the big games and internationals when there are usually quite a few views available. There were at times during the game, but this time there wasn’t.

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“But what I was basing it on is what we saw live. The players were very clear about what they saw and that it was definitely a knock-on and we thought it was going to go back and be our ball.

“It was still a one-score game at the time and it came at a crucial stage.”

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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