Disappointed NSW Waratahs coach Dan McKellar says referees must take the necessary time and technology to get a decision right after a controversial no-try call against Queensland was deemed incorrect.
Super Rugby issued a statement on Monday apologising for incorrectly disallowing a Tahs go-ahead try late in their game against the Reds.
"Super Rugby Pacific management has reviewed the decision to overturn a try initially awarded to NSW Waratahs player Triston Reilly in the 74th minute of Saturday's Round 5 game against Queensland Reds," the statement read.
"The review concluded there was not a clear and obvious infringement in Reilly's grounding of the ball and, as a result, the initial on-field decision of try should have been upheld."
Reilly had a spectacular acrobatic put-down in the corner that was initally awarded a try by on-field referee Ben O'Keeffe, before being wrongly overturned by the TMO (Television Match Official).
"Firstly, I've got a lot of respect for Ben O'Keeffe. I've had a good chat with him during the week," Dan McKellar said.
"(Super Rugby) have been good enough to admit they got it wrong.
"From our end, it's just disappointing that when we've got the technology, and this isn't on Ben or on any particular referee, we've got the technology and we just need to take the time to make sure we get the decision right. Unfortunately, on Saturday night that didn't occur.
"We're all human beings and unfortunately in the game that we play, rugby is pretty complex, mistakes happen every now and then."
The try would've put the Waratahs ahead 22-19 with just seven minutes to go and a conversion to come. Instead NSW lost 26-17.
The apology did little to improve the sixth-placed Waratah's Super Rugby standing. They would been one position higher if they had got the four points that comes with a win.
But McKellar understands there is no use moping about what could've been, insisting his team must 'crack on' with their preparations before they meet the Blues on Saturday.
The Auckland-based side will arrive in Sydney on a high after a dominant 43-7 demolition of Moana Pasifika.
It will be a tough challenge for a Tahs team that hasn't beaten the Blues in over a decade, a losing streak dating back to 2015.
