Rugby: Irish players fuming over Barrett try

Try time? Photo / Getty Images

Irish players are angry over the try awarded to Beauden Barrett with the key touchdown quickly becoming a focal point after New Zealand's 21-9 triumph in Dublin this morning.

Barrett, World Rugby's Player of the Year, scored a scintillating second try for New Zealand but controversy was raging after the match over whether he had grounded the ball.

Rival first five Jonny Sexton was adamant that he had prevented the try from being scored.

But the TMO told referee Jaco Peyper that the ball had been 'clearly grounded'.

Irish player Jordi Murphy, one of the stars of Ireland's upset win in Chicago two weeks ago but injured for the return clash, immediately responded to the decision on Twitter by writing 'disgraceful'.

Disgraceful

— Jordi Murphy (@Jordimurphy) November 19, 2016

The Irish were also upset about the All Blacks' match-sealing try to Malakai Fekitoa in the second half, claiming there had been a forward pass from TJ Perenara during the movement.

"I went up to him and asked him to take a look at (the replay)," said captain Rory Best.
"He said he couldn't go to a captain's call which I suppose is fair enough.

"But it was on the big screen. He said he can't be influenced too much by the captain. I tried to explain that there was a lot of stake to not take a look (but) he has people upstairs and from the TV who are watching that and he has to trust them.

"We'll leave that to the assessors. But that was the dialogue we had. When you have a big game like that, and it was a one score game, we need to feel that we have a chance of getting a call on that."

Best was also quizzed about alleged high tackling but did not criticise the tourists.

"Look, they're a very physical side," he said "I think we all know that if you sign Kiwis into a club side, that they hit and they hit hard."