France’s Six Nations campaign got off to a flying start in Paris as they ran in four tries in a dominant first-half performance against struggling Wales.
Warren Gatland’s side started relatively brightly for the first 15 minutes before the floodgates opened with Théo Attissogbé and Louis Bielle-Biarrey scoring a brace apiece.
Antoine Dupont, returning to Six Nations action having missed last year’s tournament to prepare for the Paris Olympics, stole the show with a masterful, all-court performance.
However, his assist for Attissogbé’s second try was marred by controversy.
What happened?
Dupont picked up the ball from the base of the ruck outside the Wales 22, shrugging off one defender to make a break before leaving Liam Williams for dead with sharp sidestep.
As the French scrum-half approached the five-metre line, he lofted a pass over the head over a retreating Josh Adams and into the hands of Attissogbé.
However, Attissogbé appeared to take the ball around two yards in front of Dupont with the ball going forward out of his hands. The five-metre line made it clear that Attissogbé did indeed receive the ball in front of Dupont.
Nevertheless, referee Paul Williams awarded the try straight away and no intervention came from the other match officials.
Wales captain Jac Morgan queried the decision, but that did not have any impact.
What is the law?
Law 11.7 simply states: “A player must not intentionally throw or pass the ball forward.”
However, in recent years, the interpretation of this law has become more nuanced, often causing confusion among spectators.
Former referee Wayne Barnes has previously explained that: “It’s not about the direction that the ball eventually ends up, it’s about the direction it’s travelling in as it leaves the hands.”
This is because of ‘relative velocity’, which means the momentum of a player moving forward will also take the ball forward, even if the pass leaves their hands going backwards.
Should the try have stood?
No. Even accounting for ‘relative velocity’, a forward pass should have been awarded due to it leaving Dupont’s hands going forward.
What was the reaction?
Shane Williams, the former Wales winger on ITV commentary, said: “It will be interesting to see if this last pass is forward” prior to the it being awarded.
Kat Merchant, the former England winger, described the pass as forward by “2 metres” on social media.
