England's Maro Itoje, center, reacts with his teammates after the rugby union international match between England and New Zealand at Twickenham stadium in London. Photo / AP
England's Maro Itoje, center, reacts with his teammates after the rugby union international match between England and New Zealand at Twickenham stadium in London. Photo / AP
It was a thrilling game of football when the All Blacks beat England 16-15 at Twickenham on Sunday, but a late decision to rule out an England try has left the UK media reeling.
"England had the victory they deserved snatched away from them in the dying moments when Marius Jonker, the television match official, ruled out what would have been a sensational winning try by Sam Underhill, after Courtney Lawes had charged down a kick by TJ Perenara and completely bamboozled Beauden Barrett to score.
"The referee awarded the try which means that any decision by the television match official must prove a clear and obvious infringement. The replay clearly showed Lawes onside, with Perenara taking an age with his clearing kick. There was nothing clear and obvious whatsoever and the referee really should have taken charge.
"New Zealand played out time to preserve their one-point lead in a match, which, although it did not finish in England's favour, ended any aura of infallibility concerning New Zealand in the heads of Dylan Hartley and his team."
There's a foot where the red line is. Lawes is clearly in front of it. You have to be behind the hindmost foot. It's pretty clear. #ENGvNZLpic.twitter.com/9LFMLKiF3q
"So close. So gut-wrenching. Yet also promising and uplifting even if England came up short. Eddie Jones implored his men to be directors of the movie, not bit-part extras.
"The England head coach got what he wanted. It was the movie that Twickenham wanted, too, a thriller that could have been scripted by Alfred Hitchcock and even if it left them bereft when a hair-line call by TMO Marius Jonker denied them what looked to be a legitimate, match-winning score from Sam Underhill, they had great value for money. The call went against Courtney Lawes for offside as he blocked a kick by TJ Perenara on the ten metre line. It looked a tight decision, too tight for the circumstances and England had every right to feel aggrieved."
"Another one-point game here tilted by a referee after reviewing an incident. England held on against the Springboks last week after an Owen Farrell challenge was deemed to have been within the laws, but a South African television match official, Marius Jonker, scratched Sam Underhill's try five minutes from the end after ruling that Courtney Lawes had been offside when charging down a kick.
"There have been more popular calls made here and boos resounded after the final whistle, but this was a proper Test match played in demanding conditions that showed the recovery powers of New Zealand and the resources of England."
"Eddie Jones told his players to write their own Hollywood movie but they came up with a classic heartbreak story.
"England were inches away from a famous victory at Twickenham.
"Sam Underhill thought he had scored the winning try after 76 minutes, but referee Jerome Garces interrupted the joyous celebrations to rule out the match-winning score. In the end, the result went to script. Make that 84 wins in 94 Tests for the All Blacks under Steve Hansen, whose side remain top of the tree."
England's Owen Farrell disputes a penalty call during the rugby union international match between England and New Zealand at Twickenham stadium in London. Photo / AP
"Another one-point game here tilted by a referee after reviewing an incident," he wrote.
"England held on against the Springboks last week after an Owen Farrell challenge was deemed to have been within the laws, but a South African television match official, Marius Jonker, scratched Sam Underhill's try five minutes from the end after ruling that Courtney Lawes had been offside when charging down a kick."
