Beware the rectangle of doom: rugby union must heed lessons of Harry Potter drama

When a toenail in touch by a defending team means a try chalked off for the attackers, the rulebook is idiotic.

Australian winger Harry Potter having his foot barely in touch led to Fiji having a brilliant try ruled out at the weekend. Pic: Matt King/Getty Images

Sometimes big changes can be triggered by the smallest incidents, barely visible to the naked eye. In rugby union’s case the 59th minute of Australia’s game against Fiji in Newcastle, New South Wales on Sunday could be one of those moments. One fleeting officiating misjudgment in a relatively low-profile Test might be the catalyst that alters the sport’s entire way of thinking.

There are occasions when rugby makes itself look idiotic and this was one of them. Fiji had just taken the lead and the Wallabies were looking slightly rattled as their wing Harry Potter ran back to field a long kick near his right touchline. Deciding to keep the ball alive he threw a long pass infield to an isolated teammate who was turned over. Fiji gleefully seized their opportunity and scored a potentially vital “try” through Sireli Maqala.