Angry Waratahs robbed by wonder try that wasn't as Super Rugby Pacific officials admit they got it wrong
Updated . First published at
Morgan Turinui has applauded the accountability of Super Rugby Pacific's officials after they admitted that Triston Reilly's wonder try at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on Saturday should have stood.
The NSW Waratahs were trailing the Queensland Reds 19-17 in the 73rd minute when NSW centre Triston Reilly got airborne and scored what he thought was a spectacular try in the right-hand corner.
Referee Ben O'Keeffe was convinced enough with the put-down that he initially awarded the try while sending it upstairs to be checked.
Watch the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season with every match streaming live and on demand on the home of rugby, Stan Sport
Triston Reilly's try was disallowed by Richard Kelly. Stan
TMO Richard Kelly saw enough doubt to overturn the decision and the Reds ended up running away with a 26-17 win as Carter Gordon scored the match-clincher.
"The review concluded there was not a clear and obvious infringement in Reilly's grounding of the ball and as a result, the initial on-field decision of try should have been upheld," Super Rugby said in a statement.
"I reckon if that is awarded, the Tahs are likely to win that game," Sean Maloney said on Stan Sport's Between Two Posts.
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"All the energy and momentum with them, it was going to be a really comfortable buffer."
Turinui said he felt sorry for Kelly.
"It's the sliding doors moment of the match, and it is the great advertisement highlight of the season as well," he said.
NEW PODCAST! Sean Maloney, Morgan Turinui and Nick Phipps debate whether Triston Reilly's spectacular try should have stood
"Think about what you can do with that image of Tristan Reilly. The quality of what he did was unbelievable. I love the accountability from the refereeing cohort. They're going to make mistakes.
"What I've hated in the past - with officials, often, will circle the wagons. Referees will just stick together and just blindly protect each other... it's not going to help the Tahs, and it really hurts their season, that loss."
Waratahs coach Dan McKellar was seething when the try was disallowed.
Dan McKellar. Stan
"If you speak to how they're refereeing and using the TMO, if the referee awards the try, unless it's clear and obvious, it stays a try. Is that not right?" McKellar asked in the post-match press conference.
After winning their first two games of the season, NSW have now slumped to 2-2 and sit sixth of 11 teams.
They host the third-placed Blues (3-2) at Sydney's Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.
