ERC: No problem over screen support

EUROPEAN Rugby officials rejected suggestions yesterday that screening scenes from Limerick’s O’Connell Street had any effect in deciding the destination of the Heineken Cup in Munster’s favour.

Munster’s players were playing to an entirely different tune. Anthony Foley, Paul O’Connell and Ronan O’Gara all admitted that the scenes showing thousands of fans on the city’s main thoroughfare — and the roar that erupted to greet them in the ground — had a galvanising effect on the team at a crucial period of the game.

The first shot of the city flashed up on the two giant screens after 61 minutes when Munster were visibly struggling, especially with their lineout while some of O’Gara’s kicks from the hand missed their mark as well.

The second snippet of footage appeared with only six minutes to go and seconds before O’Gara converted what proved to be the clinching score from a penalty. Asked what effect the images had, the out-half replied: “From then on, we weren’t going to lose.”

To be fair, Biarritz didn’t complain about it and ERC officials defended the idea, saying it was something they have done in previous finals.

“We have done it before,” said one official. “I know that when Toulouse were in one of their finals, we had cameras in Place du Capitol showing their fans and it worked fine. Nobody had any complaints about it. It’s nothing new”

Showing footage of Limerick and none from Biarritz doesn’t seem the most even-handed approach, especially in an age where coaches and players talk about that ‘extra 1%’ that’s needed to get over the line.

“There probably wasn’t enough people, enough of a crowd, in Biarritz to do the same there. We knew there would be a huge crowd in Limerick and we think it worked out brilliantly,” said the ERC official.

That wasn’t the only potential controversy on Saturday. Had Munster lost in the end, the name Dave Pearson would have been cursed from here to eternity by thousands of Irish.

Nobody was quite sure at the time whether Sereli Bobo’s left foot had grazed the touchline once or even twice before his third minute try, but the world and its mother seemed certain that his right foot had. How-ever, the man that mattered didn’t concur. Only yards from the scene of the crime, the touch judge's flag remained by his side. After John O’Neill’s ‘try that was but wasn’t’ in Lille five years ago, such a fate would have been impossible to swallow twice.

IRB regulations state that the referee can only consult with the TV official if there is any doubt over the grounding of the ball. Clearly, the rule could be looked at again to extend those powers to any action leading up to a try.

If that is to happen, the ERC won’t be the driving force behind it, with officials stating after the game that they would follow the rules as laid down by the international governing body.

Just be thankful Munster won.