Leinster picked up a 28-7 away victory over bitter rivals Munster in the United Rugby Championship last weekend but there was controversy surrounding one of their tries.

It came in the 53rd minute with Leinster leading 14-7 at that point in the game and were on the attack deep in Munster’s 22, with James Ryan brought to ground six metres out.

After several seconds on the ground the Ireland international lock popped the ball up to a team-mate before Josh van der Flier barged over for a crucial hit-back try for his side.

Munster protests

Cries of discontent were voiced to referee Sam Grove by Munster‘s Tadhg Beirne which were unsuccessful, with both the on-field official and TMO allowing the Leinster score.

Those seven points moved the United Rugby Championship pace-setters into a 21-7 advantage and they would add the bonus-point gloss late on through Caelan Doris.

However, the Van der Flier try sparked plenty of debate shortly after the final whistle with former Munster favourite Simon Zebo feeling Leinster had ‘commit a crime’.

“That is what we were saying before the game about Mack Hansen’s comments, it’s so inconsistent,” he told Premier Sports, referencing the Connacht wing’s recent outburst.

“They don’t even have a look at it and Tadhg Beirne runs over to the ref straight away, flailing his arms and he doesn’t even have a look. Just have a look or cue your TMO to have a look, you don’t have to interrupt anything, and you let the game keep going.

“If you think it is a try, okay carry on, just let the TMO have a proper look at it.

“I don’t know, it’s just inconsistent.”

He added: “It was such a momentum shift when they scored that try and it’s so deflating for Munster.

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“And if you commit a crime like that, you should be punished.”

Zebo’s mood won’t be improved by the laws stating that openside flanker Van der Flier’s score at Thomond Park on Friday evening should not have stood, as Law 14.7 confirms.

Law 14.7 Tackled players must immediately:

a. Make the ball available so that play can continue by releasing, passing or pushing the ball in any direction except forward. They may place the ball in any direction.
Sanction: Penalty.

Law 15.11 Once a ruck has formed, no player may handle the ball unless they were able to get their hands on the ball before the ruck formed and stay on their feet.
Sanction: Penalty.

As the footage showed, lock Ryan did not immediately pass the ball which means that referee Grove should have penalised him, with the visitors benefiting from the oversight.

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Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/law-discussion-why-leinster-did-commit-a-crime-in-munster-victory