Rugby: Forget the TMO - How a ball boy 'ruled out' Grant Fox's try for the All Blacks against Ireland in 1989

A ball boy saved a try for Ireland. Photo / Instagram

Who needs television match officials when you have ball boys?

A lot of the fallout from the All Blacks' controversial 16-15 victory against England last week focussed on the TMO's decision to rule out England flanker Sam Underhill's late try.

But tries were getting disallowed long before the technology for TMOs were a thing, and sometimes it even came down to the ball boys to get the calls right - well kind of.

During a 1989 test between the All Blacks and Ireland in Dublin, Grant Fox crossed over for a try - a rare occurrence for the All Black great.

The try, however, was ruled out by the touch judge who raised his flag because of a technical infringement by All Black Sean Fitzpatrick during an attempted quick lineout.

However, the referee didn't appear to see the flag and, being 1989 when technology and professionalism wasn't what it is now, it looked like he was going to award the try.

But then a hero appeared: a ball boy pointed the flag out to the referee, and justice was served.

"I saw the touch judge's flag up and then I saw that New Zealand were scoring a try," the brave ball boy said after the game.

"And when they scored the try, I said to the touch judge 'this shouldn't happen, why don't you go on and tell him?' And the touch judge said 'no I can't do that'.

"Then one of the people in the ground told me to go on yourself."

The rest, as they say, is history.

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