Wallabies v Fiji, Sunday, 6 July, 1:30pm @ McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle

[molman]

I couldn't believe them continually showing the angle which did make it look like a forward pass and only a couple of times showing the ball coming backwards out of the hands.As you say,if it has to be looked at that closely then surely we just rely on the refs call.

Issue was that it wasn't clearly backwards out of the hands even when you look at the other camera angles. As @Strewthcobber said, it was a lineball decision that could have gone either way. I personally think they got it technically right, but it is so close that it's hard to say it's beyond doubt to disallow a try.

I'm hoping its a connection issue between Potter and Wright as it wasn't a very clean pass either way. Almost a bit of hospital pass if you watch the balls flight.

 

[molman]

Generally I'd prefer the benefit given to the attacking team who scored. Especially in examples like this where it's not the virtue of the pass being marginally forward or not that is having any real bearing on weather the try is scored or not.

 

[Sully]

I don't know what the lines in those photos are supposed to prove but, that was a forward pass all day. It was forward from the hands and it stayed forward. I called it live before the try was scored and nothing I've seen has changed my mind.

 

[Major Tom]

Agree. If that’s not forward I don’t know what is.

 

[Micheal]

I agree - watching it live I knew it would be called back and was surprised it took so long to do so. I have absolutely zero doubts that it was forward and was a fair call to rule it so.

 

[Brumby Runner]

View attachment 22665View attachment 22666

Issue was that it wasn't clearly backwards out of the hands even when you look at the other camera angles. As @Strewthcobber said, it was a lineball decision that could have gone either way. I personally think they got it technically right, but it is so close that it's hard to say it's beyond doubt to disallow a try.

I'm hoping its a connection issue between Potter and Wright as it wasn't a very clean pass either way. Almost a bit of hospital pass if you watch the balls flight.

No. The real issue is that the match officials must have clear evidence that the ball has been thrown or lost forward. It simply does not have to be thrown backwards and if a distinct throw forward can't be established then it is play on. I believe the Laws reference a throw forward and there is no mention of a forward pass. In this particular instance the on field referee's initial decision to play on together with the multiple replays are good indicators that the evidence of a clear throw forward was extremely doubtful.

 

[Linerunner2023]

The two passes Wright threw forward were about as flat as Finn Russell passes the ball every time during the game
Multiple times he is a fine line between flat or forward

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

FFS are we still banging on about that forward pass?

 

[Ignoto]

Most depressing thing is, Wright has played how many years under Larkham and the bloke still passes like a degenerate.

 

[notdeadyet]

methinks it is too close to call
IF wright was stationary when he threw the ball then definitely forward, however, he was still moving as hadn't been contacted by the defender,

 

[notdeadyet]

Can somebody explain to me WTF we are doing analysing forward on not passes, when the Lions are upon us?

far more interesting than discussing crowd numbers ...

 

[Uh huh]

Most depressing thing is, Wright has played how many years under Larkham and the bloke still passes like a degenerate.

 

[Brumby Runner]

As well as having the most carry metres and the most post contact metres in the whole Super Rugby 25, Wright also tellingly had the third most try assists and the most by a player not a No 9. Quite a few of those assists were down the RHS with Muirhead the beneficiary and that doesn't include the myriad times he put Muirhead and others into break that didn't result in a try. Still posters like you say with all the authority of no one that he cannot pass left to right, or that he passes like a degenerate. What utter bullshit.

Haters will hate despite the facts. Maybe it would be more productive to consider where Lancaster was positioning himself in support in the Fiji test match. Compare that with where Muirhead et al in the Brumbies position themselves when supporting one of the most dangerous attacking players in this country.

 

[Wilson]

Lancaster definitely didn't make himself a useful target for Wright, positioning himself on his couch in Sydney to watch the test

But I do agree that the issues with Wright's forward passes are more down to the connection between him and Potter, particularly the first one. This will come with time though, and that's part of the reason I was happy to see them play a bit more rugby than is necessarily sensible in a test match against Fiji on the weekend.

 

[Major Tom]

Also, maybe spiral passing the ball would be a good option.

 

[Backintheolddays]

As well as having the most carry metres and the most post contact metres in the whole Super Rugby 25, Wright also tellingly had the third most try assists and the most by a player not a No 9. Quite a few of those assists were down the RHS with Muirhead the beneficiary and that doesn't include the myriad times he put Muirhead and others into break that didn't result in a try. Still posters like you say with all the authority of no one that he cannot pass left to right, or that he passes like a degenerate. What utter bullshit.

Haters will hate despite the facts. Maybe it would be more productive to consider where Lancaster was positioning himself in support in the Fiji test match. Compare that with where Muirhead et al in the Brumbies position themselves when supporting one of the most dangerous attacking players in this country.

Wright is our best option hands down in Australia, no argument from me. However he is far from world class and the criticism has merit.