The Wallabies have been left shaking their head after Izaia Perese was yellow carded for a contentious “deliberate” knock on in their second Test against England.
In the 20th minute at Suncorp Stadium, England’s Marcus Smith threw a wide pass out to Tommy Freeman on the wing only for Perese to get a hand to the ball.
His intercept attempt failed, knocking the ball on.
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England already had a penalty advantage for offside against Noah Lolesio, the knock on taking the play back to the scene of the first indiscretion.
However, on closer inspection by the TMO, it was deemed Perese had infringed and deliberately knocked the ball on.
The No.23, who had only come on in the fifth minute after Jordan Petaia failed a head injury assessment, copped a yellow card for the infringement.
That drew the ire of All Blacks legend and Stan Sport commentator Andrew Mehrtens.
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“There’s no motion to knock that ball, he’s trying to drag it in,” said Mehrtens.
“This is the absurdity that we’re seeing at the moment, there’s just no common sense applied for some of the rulings.
“It’s not a clear, deliberate [knock-on]. That’s not clear and deliberate. I absolutely take issue with this.
Wallabies legend Tim Horan added, “Especially when your hand is up in the air and you’re trying to tap it. He catches that, and it comes back to a penalty in front of the post.”
Mehrtens continues his spirited rant, audibly frustrated by the decision.
“Look how long the ball was in contact with the hand,” he bemoaned.
“That’s not a knock. That’s not a deliberate knock-on. There’s no way he’s thinking to knock that on.
Horan continued, “I’m not sure what else are you supposed to do when the ball is there. Do you let it go, with the new laws now? I think he knew as soon as it hit his hand.”
At the time of the incident, England led 13-0 though that became 16-0 following the penalty conversion.
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