- Saracens claimed a dominant 52-7 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
- Healy highlighted possible foul play by Stephan Lewies against Owen Farrell
- The TMO appeared to ignore the incident after hearing Healy’s comment.
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The television match official (TMO) at Saracens’ victory over Harlequins was apparently heard saying he would not review an incident after it was highlighted on television commentary.
TNT Sports co-commentator Austin Healey highlighted potential foul play by Harlequins’ Stephan Lewies against Owen Farrell.
The incident occurred with 13 minutes remaining in Saracens’ dominant 52-7 win over Harlequins.
Farrell reacted angrily and confronted Lewies, with Healy highlighting the reason for the former England captain’s response.
Healy noted that Lewies could have slipped into the ruck late and caught Farrell, and his comment was heard when TMO Stuart Terheege was heard calling for a replay.
Owen Farrell reacted angrily to Stephan Lewies during Saracens’ win over Harlequins
The TMO was heard suggesting it would not review Lewie’s clash with Farrell after Healey highlighted possible foul play by Harlequins players.
‘Owen Farrell is upset and worth taking another look. (Stephan) Lewies enters the ruck with his knees. I think it’s worth taking another look,” Healy said on TNT Sports.
‘I think Six slides into the ruck too late on both knees.
“Where I hit Farrell could be really interesting.”
Fans were stunned when Terheege appeared to suggest he would not review the incident because Healy had highlighted potential foul play.
“The problem we have now, of course, is that it appears Healey instigated it,” Terheege was heard saying.
“The problem I have now is that it seems like Austin instigated it because we were late, so I don’t want to talk about it, okay?”
Viewers asked how the TMO could hear TNT Sports’ comments about the incident.
Healey, reviewing the footage, declared it was a “yellow card all day”, and the former England star determined that Lewies should have been penalized for an armless tackle on Farrell.
Healey later claimed on social media that the official’s “ego got in the way of the fair play decision.”
A replay of the incident was shown after Farrell successfully kicked the conversion.
A replay was shown after Farrell had converted Juan Martín Gonzale’s try with a referee, believed to be Terheege, and was then heard saying: “Oh come on, don’t show it because that’s how it is” before it was switched off the microphone.
Healy commented on TMO’s decision not to intervene in the post-match incident.
“I think the TMO has seen better days, it seems ego got in the way of deciding foul play,” Healy wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
England star Joe Marler, who plays for Harlequins, also weighed in, calling the incident “ridiculous”.
In a statement to the TelegraphPremiership Rugby confirmed it will “review all incidents and follow the same process each week.”
Paul McNamara, ITV’s senior live director for major events, revealed last week that TMOs sit next to him when the broadcaster broadcasts matches.
McNamara told the Telegraph that the feed of comments to the TMO is cut off when there is a review to ensure commentators cannot influence the official.
Saracens’ victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium lifted them above Harlequins into second place in the Premiership table.