Law discussion: Was the Sharks’ controversial penalty try against the Bulls the right decision?
In their URC derby in Durban on Saturday, the Sharks defeated the Bulls 20–17, and one of their goals was a penalty try.
This was a hotly contested match, as the scoreline indicates, and the teams’ momentum fluctuated throughout.
Jordan Hendrikse and Ethan Hooker were the Sharks’ main ball carriers as they attacked from deep inside their half in the 57th minute.
Before Hendrikse’s brilliant chip kick, which was bouncing around teasefully in the Bulls’ dead-ball area, the backline combination swapped passes.
The Sharks center knocked the ball backwards after Hooker and Bulls flier Sebastian de Klerk chased.
Makazole Mapimpi closed in, but De Klerk stopped him before he could dot down when the ball bounced backwards off his body and just in front of the dead-ball line.
Referee Morne Ferreira conferred with television match official Quinton Immelman right away. Following nearly four minutes of discussion, the home team was given a penalty try, and De Klerk was also given a yellow card.
“A player must not intentionally break any of the game’s laws,” reads Law 9.7, which refers to unfair play in the in-goal area. When the opposition’s foul play stops a likely try from being scored or when a try is scored in a more favorable position, a penalty try is given.
De Klerk appeared to purposefully knock the ball out of play beyond the dead-ball line on the televised clip.
By doing that, Mapimpi is prevented from diving onto the ball inside the playing field and scoring a try. The choice to award the penalty try was the only option left to the match officials, hence it was the appropriate one.
