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'Genuinely looks wide': Questions hang over Stormers match-winning conversion
By Sam Smith
The Stormers last gasp 17-15 win over Ulster in Cape Town has not come without controversy after Mannie Libbok’s game-winning kick under question after inconclusive match footage.
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Trailing 10-15 deep into extra time, the Stormers scored out through fullback Warrick Gelant in the 85th minute to tie up proceedings at 15-all.
With a pressure kick to win the game from out wide, Libbok’s effort looked online to start and then began to fade high, over the post height making it difficult to judge whether or not it had gone through.
Multiple Ulster players can be seen asking from a TMO review of the kick to ensure it went through the posts while Stormers players were celebrating but no review was made, relying on the touch officials call.
Sound on🔊@Vodacom #URC #STOvULS #AllFor1 @URCOfficial_RSA #SSRugby pic.twitter.com/vJe6Ouihkf
— vodacomrugby (@VodacomRugga) June 11, 2022
Questions remained following the game whether the kick was successful or not, with some happy with the call and others not yet convinced the kick made it. With cameras available to confirm, fans were stunned it was not even looked at a second time.
— Simon Borchardt (@SimonBorchardt) June 11, 2022
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I've watched it 10 times and I'm not convinced that conversion went over
— Rúaidhrí O'Connor (@RuaidhriOC) June 11, 2022
Was the conversion at the end of #STOvULS checked by TMO and if not why not? It was very tight. Too tight for my liking
— Adam Henderson (@15Adamhendy) June 11, 2022
Any other angles of last kick ?#STOvULS
— Andrew Harte (@Hartey3) June 11, 2022
Missed #STOvULS live unfortunately, just saw back the final 10m incl clock in red, can't understand how that conversion wasn't at least looked at? And by "looked at" I mean with replays available to everyone before final decision made? Genuinely gutted for Ulster.
— Harpin' On Rugby (@HarpinOnRugby) June 11, 2022
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Believe me, I’ve looked at this for 5 minutes.
Think the kick was just over.#STOvULS #URC pic.twitter.com/JdVTrLTK4U
— EK Rugby Analysis (@ek_rugby) June 11, 2022
Looks like it drifted wide on that angle. #STOvULS
— handsintheruck (@Handsintheruck) June 11, 2022
Wow, that’s inconclusive, be good to get another angle.
— barryhawk (@barryhawk) June 11, 2022
Genuinely looks wide.
— junior85 (@junior85) June 11, 2022
Is there another camera angle?
— Mhlonishwa (@NkosiJeromeZung) June 11, 2022
Supersport will never release the back angle of that kick😂😂
— Phila Maxase (@PhilaMaxase) June 11, 2022
The TV angle showing that final conversion from Libbok suggested it drifted narrowly wide. Would like to see if from behind the poles – as I’m sure it was good, but that would just confirm it! #STOvULS
— G-Mac (@GreggMac11) June 11, 2022
The best angles of the kick are still rather inconclusive, with the ball seemingly heading over the right post.
How good was that? A special moment shared with the Faithful. Bring on the Final.#iamastormer #dhldelivers @Vodacom #URC pic.twitter.com/iM0DGZPvFo
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) June 11, 2022
Here's the reverse angle clearly over for me.
https://mobile.twitter.com/Elmakapelma/status/1535927760178266112
I’ve seen an angle doing the rounds on Twitter from a fan behind the poles which shows it going through that said I thought it had missed watching it on the TV.. the officiating was below par, Mike Adam’s is not up to the required standard I think most people would agree Ulster got the rub of the green all match especially with the 1 meter forward pass for Ulster’s try, the commentators and everyone in the stadium was letting him know but he didn’t review it… this all said Ulster were spent at the 70 min mark so if the game went to extra time the stormers had their number so the right team went through
Drifts right after going thro post not before, what is clearer was forward pass for Ulster's try out on wing
This should settle it: https://twitter.com/ashfakmohamed/status/1535705424191799300?s=21&t=T_Ajg3hyNcI7usr4GqKSaQ
All the pictures of that kick were taken after the ball had passed the uprights which show it to the right of the upright but already passed it. Look at the spontaneous reaction of the crowd behind the post. If he had missed there are 100 or so very good actors. And both assistant referees who were NOT looking at each other raised their flags simultaneously. There is no provision in the rules to go to the TMO for a conversion anyway. Two eyes behind the post are better than any camera angle. On completely another topic if I were one of the AB’s coaching staff I would be a very worried man. The team which has beaten the AB’s twice out of the last three encounters was taken apart by a team with not one run on Bok player. Stand by for some good old Aussie/AB reffing during the tour.
Hahahaha. So the same people who called it a conspiracy theory when we said Stephen Donald’s kick in the 2011 RIGGED World Cup final missed are now having a cry over this kick. Call it karma chaps