Footage has emerged explaining why Scotland fly-half Finn Russell took the potential match-winning conversion against England in the Six Nations from a wider angle.
Scotland looked to have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on Saturday when winger Duhan van der Merwe dotted down for a try that brought his side within a point of Steve Borthwick’s men.
Finn Russell’s missed conversion
However, the visitors needed co-captain Russell to add the extra two points to edge ahead of the Auld Enemy with time almost up on the clock.
What left many onlookers perplexed was the fly-half taking the conversion a few metres shy of the touchline instead of on the five-metre line where Van der Merwe had touched down.
Many fans believed that Russell had made the kick more difficult for himself by setting up his kick from the incorrect position, with World Rugby Law 8.8.a stating that the kicker: “Takes the kick in the field of play on a line through the place where the try was awarded, parallel to the touchlines.”
However, Russell took the conversion some two metres wider from where his winger had placed the ball down.
During the broadcast of the match it was unclear how and why this was the case but former Wales and British & Irish Lions centre Jamie Roberts has provided an answer with additional footage from the game that was not broadcasted.
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He too was left puzzled by Russell taking the conversion from a wider angle.
“Epic finish. I’m certainly no place kicker – interesting that the kicking tee for the vital conversion was placed 2m further towards touchline from where try was scored, making the kick a tighter angle? Do kickers do that purposefully?” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
However, he has since obtained footage which explains the reasoning as to why Russell took the kick from a wider position with referee Pierre Brousset instructing him to do so after the fly-half had initially set up his conversion attempt.
“Actually the ref pushed him out 2,” Roberts captioned the post with the accompanying video.
Actually the ref pushed him out 2m 🫣 https://t.co/SUnPhXS7c1 pic.twitter.com/DGXaC8nGTO
— Jamie Roberts (@Jamiehuwroberts) February 23, 2025
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The evidence provided by Roberts understandably has left many Scottish fans fuming, with Brousset’s performance in Twickenham coming under the spotlight.
Meanwhile, ex-England fly-half Andy Goode hit out at the match official during the game, stating: “Never has a Frenchman been this kind to the English! If you’re Scottish you’re raging with how this game is being refereed!”
He added that “England’s Man of the Match was the ref Pierre Brousset!”
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend also bemoaned key decisions that did not go his team’s way in the defeat.
READ MORE: Ex-England fly-half claims referee was hosts ‘man of the match’ as Gregor Townsend addresses ‘interesting call’ against ‘raging’ Scotland
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Author : rugby-247
Publish date : 2025-02-24 10:52:03
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