Salford Red Devils’ Controversial Try Ruled Out: Referees Explain the Decision
In a tightly contested Super League match, Salford Red Devils emerged victorious over St Helens with a 20-18 win, completing the double over the reigning champions. However, the game was not without its share of controversy, as a late try from Salford’s Chris Atkin was ruled out by the officials.
Former Super League referees Richard Silverwood and Ian Smith took to social media to provide clarity on the decision, which was based on a cheeky kick from Salford’s Marc Sneyd. With Salford leading 10-6 and awarded a penalty deep in the St Helens half, Sneyd lined up to take the kick. Instead of going for the posts, he raised his hand as if signaling a corner kick in football and struck the ball 25 yards wide to Atkin, who calmly touched down.
“Referees Richard Silverwood and Ian Smith explained that the try was correctly disallowed, as Sneyd’s actions were deemed to be a deliberate attempt to exploit the rules. According to the laws of the game, ‘Pretending to kick at goal – It shall be misconduct for a player to pretend to kick at goal from a penalty and then deliberately kick it elsewhere.'”
Salford head coach Paul Rowley admitted that he was unaware of this specific rule, joking that it must be buried deep in the rulebook. The decision ultimately proved crucial, as Salford had to hold on to their narrow lead to secure the victory.
The incident has sparked discussions among rugby league enthusiasts, with some questioning the sportsmanship of Sneyd’s actions, while others have praised the officials for correctly applying the laws of the game. Nonetheless, the Salford Red Devils can take solace in their hard-fought win, despite the disallowed score.
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