Grand final controversies: Where does Saturday's try rank?

A try or no try? Elliot Dixon touches down for the controversial moment of the Super Rugby final. Photo / Getty

Try or no try. The 2015 Super Rugby final turned on a controversial video refereeing decision which helped the Highlanders to victory over the Hurricanes in Wellington. Even Elliot Dixon didn't think he had scored at the time. Grand final controversies come in all shapes and size and we check out a few.

1966 England v West Germany, FIFA World Cup final, Wembley.
The most famous ghost goal of them all awarded on the word of a Soviet linesman, who could not communicate properly with the Swiss referee. Geoff Hurst's extra-time goal sent England on the path to victory. Amateur film is amongst the evidence that tends to suggest the ball did not cross the line completely, so should not have been awarded. This classic controversy - complete with grainy film and minute analysis of tricky angles - is sport's answer to the JFK-Grassy Knoll bizzo.

1972 USSR v USA, Olympic basketball final, Munich.
The mother of all barnies. There is no other team sport in which every split second counts the way it does in basketball. With the Cold War as the very prominent backdrop, the Soviets ended America's total dominance of the gold medal after all sorts of shenanigans in the last few seconds, including the intervention of a world basketball official from Britain. There were clock re-sets, the works. Conspiracy theories abounded and the Americans refused to turn up for the medal ceremony. In a sea of confusion, bad sports are still bad sports.

2014 Northampton v Saracens, England rugby premiership final, Twickenham.
A TMO double whammy for Saracens. Having been awarded a try by the referee, Saracens had it taken away by the video man who intervened off his own bat, as he was allowed to do. The TMO then awarded a controversial winning try to Northampton, whose players admitted to being unsure. Their English lock Courtney Lawes may have been an unconvincing witness, but he did provide a great quote. "I didn't have any energy left so I was just sitting down praying." So the TMO really is the man upstairs.

2006 Italy v France, FIFA World Cup final, Berlin
Zinedine Zidane, one of the greatest and most elegant footballers in history, was sent off for headbutting Marco Materazzi in the chest deep into extra time. The Italian had taunted Zidane, allegedly later admitting to saying "I prefer the whore that is your sister". The rancour made the 1966 World Cup final controversy seem like a bit of a picnic in comparison. Italy won the game on penalties.

2015 New England Patriots v Seattle Seahawks, NFL Super Bowl, Arizona.
Spare the refs - this time it was the coach's fault. Everyone, yes everyone, expected Seattle coach Pete Carroll to let running back Marshawn "Beast Mode" Lynch smash into the in goal for the winning touchdown. Carroll went for the element of surprise and called a riskier passing play which was intercepted. American Football is so regimented that it's easier than many codes to aim the blame. Coach Carroll put his hand up with this one.

2007 Australia v Sri Lanka, cricket World Cup final, Barbados.
A disaster of a tournament finished in infamy, with the final being completed in the dark even though it had long passed a point where a result could be declared. Australia won, which was par for the course back then. ICC boss Malcolm Speed said: "I hope we can recall the great day's cricket we had before this very unfortunate ending." Nice try but no Malcolm. That's a negative.