Investec Champions Cup television broadcasters in France have responded to criticism from Bath head coach Johann van Graan, saying it is “impossible to hide footage”.
Van Graan claimed match officials missed three “clear headshots” on No 8 Alfie Barbeary in Bath’s 38-26 semi-final loss at Bordeaux-Begles on Sunday.
The South African blamed the inaction of match officials on the lack of TV images provided by host broadcasters, France Televisions.
France Televisions’ rugby editor Cedric Beaudou said: “The video referee, when he says ‘I want to speak to the on-field referee as I’ve seen something’, play is stopped, the referee asks us for the footage, we give it to him, and then we broadcast the footage.
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“The video referee is the master of what he wants to see, and nowadays he has access to every camera, every angle.
“Until he makes his decisions, we leave him to see what he wants to see,” he added. “It’s impossible to hide footage.”
Barbeary shared an image on social media of one of three incidents, where opposition scrumhalf Maxime Lucu makes contact with his head, writing “French kissing”.
Tournament organisers EPCR defended the television match official procedure.
“The TMO interventions are managed by the television broadcast,” EPCR told AFP. “Two screens ares used: one live, and another with a five-second delay. This is identical for all EPCR matches.
“Every incident the TMO wants to study can be the subject of a formal review,” they added.
– AFP
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
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