'Robbed': Cameron Smith, Paul Gallen fume as Roger Tuivasa-Sheck escapes sin bin for contentious obstruction act
Cameron Smith was left in disbelief at a ruling made by the Bunker during the Pacific Championships as Tonga were controversially "robbed" of a try against Samoa.
Tonga were trailing by 16 when Isaiah Iongi looked set to score the nation's first try of the match, but instead he dropped the ball cold as he landed on the tryline.
That dropped ball was not the biggest heartbreak for Tonga, with all eyes, including league greats Smith and Johnathan Thurston, on the ruling of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck's actions in the lead up to the try.
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"He's dropped it, but I reckon Roger will go to the bin for this or it is a penalty try," Smith said in commentary on Nine.
Isaiah Iongi drops the ball cold. Nine
Soni Luke put a chip and chase through just shy of Samoa's 20m line and was stopped in his tracks by a defending Tuivasa-Sheck, who stepped into the way of Tongan.
Luke was left down on the floor while Iongi chased the ball in hopes of scoring.
But when a review was conducted by the Bunker, Tonga were left stunned.
"He clearly gets his body in front and blocks his run to the ball," Smith added as the replays where shown.
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Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is seen in the path of Soni Luke. Nine
It was then that senior Bunker official Chris Butler declared that there was "no obstruction" by Tuivasa-Sheck as he did not move his feet in the act.
"Hang on a minute, there is no obstruction?" Smith said.
"That's not what I'd seen. That was a play from an experienced player like Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. He knew that he was beaten well and truly.
"He steps into him," Johnathan Thurston interjected.
Smith continued: "Come on, come on Chris Butler.
"They've been robbed there Tonga."
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Cameron Smith reacts to the denied Tongan try on the panel on Nine. Nine
Shortly after the incident play was stopped due to lightning around Suncorp Stadium.
During the stoppage, Smith continued to express his disappointment with the ruling.
"That call was deadset a sin bin, every day of the week," he said.
"Chris Butler said he put his hands up to try and block the ball. His arms didn't come up until the ball went over his head."
Paul Gallen, who admitted he rarely agrees with Smith in contentious calls like these, could not help but concede that the act should have seen Tuivasa-Sheck spend 10 minutes in the sin bin.
"Without doubt ... watch him lean to the right," Gallen said during the lightning delay.
"He did it very smart and very well, but the referees need to be better than that. That was a sin bin, it is not a penalty try.
"I can't believe it wasn't a sin bin. That is a huge call ... imagine if Samoa were down to 12 men? That would absolutely change the game."
