In a nail-biting match at Murrayfield on Saturday, Scotland suffered a heart-wrenching defeat to France, who staged a remarkable comeback in the dying minutes to clinch a 20-16 victory over the Six Nations hopefuls. Head coach Gregor Townsend was left frustrated as his team, despite dominating much of the game, fell short in the crucial moments.
With just ten minutes remaining and Scotland holding a slim 16-10 lead, France’s winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey executed a stunning chip and chase, turning the tide in favour of France. A precise touchline conversion by fullback Thomas Ramos followed, putting France ahead 17-16 before a crucial penalty extended their lead to 20-16.
Despite their valiant efforts, Scotland struggled to shake off the resilient French side throughout the intense battle. The home team fought relentlessly until the final whistle and came agonizingly close to snatching victory with a late try which was eventually ruled out.
Referee Nic Berry initially believed the ball was held up and consulted with TMO Brian MacNeice for further review. Despite Scotland’s hopes, MacNeice was unable to provide conclusive evidence to overturn Berry’s decision, sealing France’s dramatic comeback win.
At the time the decision left fans of Scotland furious, with many believing that the Scots were extremely misfortunate with the decision. The fury surrounding the decision hasn’t appeared to have slowed down quite yet, however, with Gregor Townsend’s side now adding their own flames to the fire.
Scotland, according to the BBC, have officially requested an admission of error from the governing body, World Rugby, relating to the decision.
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – FEBRUARY 10: Rory Darge of Scotland looks on during the Guinness Six Nations 2024 match between Scotland and France at BT Murrayfield Stadium on February 10, 2024 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
The BBC claim that Scotland Rugby wish the World Rugby governing body to acknowledge that a “game-defining mistake was made in the last seconds of Scotland’s Six Nations game against France.”
The SRU has contended that the tournament’s integrity was jeopardised when referee Nic Berry and TMO Brian MacNeice seemingly reversed their decision to grant Scotland a match-winning try. The SRU is now seeking clarification on the sequence of events and urges World Rugby to acknowledge any errors that may have occurred.
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