Now Woodward backs ref over "no try" decision
June 19, 2000

England manager Clive Woodward has changed his stance after carefully studying the video footage of the Tim Stimpson "try" incident in Saturday's first Vodacom International against the Springboks in Pretoria.

He told the Pretoria News the video referee was justified in not awarding his team a try that could most likely have secured victory for England. Initially Woodward argued that England should have been awarded a try, a penalty try or a penalty - claiming the wing had been tackled without the ball. Video referee Mark Lawrence had ruled the tackle was legal and that Stimpson knocked the ball forward.

"I just watched it again this morning and to be fair I can see why he didn't give it," Woodward said on Sunday. "I can see his point of view. I still think it was a try but I can see why he technically ruled that way.

"The key point is the moment that Vos tackled him, the ball is touching Tim's hand. When you freeze the frame, it is touching his hand. I still think on the whole that it is a penalty try and that the referee would have given it if he didn't have the TV ref.

"But I'm not going to argue it. I think most people would agree that it is a penalty try, but there is a frame where he is touching the ball. The law says that when you tackle, the player must be in control of the ball but I don't think Tim was in control of the ball. There is just too many interpretations of the situation and we have to move on."

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