Leinster star mystified by vital try decision at end of Champions Cup semi-final
Leinster's Rabah Slimani admitted there was bafflement in the shocked home dressing-room that a late try that would have won the game for his team was disallowed.
Referee Pierre Brousset, who is France international Slimani's compatriot, decided not to award the try to Leinster replacement Ross Byrne the score in the corner.
The veteran prop couldn't see why Brousset made the decision, with one suggestion being that Byrne was pinged for playing the ball off his legs although that's not what the officials announced on their live microphones as they ruled out a try - and a penalty try - for the hosts.
Instead, a penalty was awarded to Leinster and Northampton's Alex Coles was yellow carded. 'I don't know, I don't know," said Slimani. "I don't understand the decision because if it's a penalty and a yellow card, I don't know why it's not a try but that's the ref's decision. He has his opinion but it's hard.
'We lost some focus in defence but we never stopped the effort during the second-half and we were very close at the end. It's very hard for the team but that's the reality.'
The suggestion that nerves played a part in Leinster's latest downfall at the business end of European competition was dismissed by Slimani, who has signed a deal to stay on next year.
'No, I could not feel that," he said. "Last year the semi-final against Northampton was very close and today too. I think it's normal that we were a little bit nervous. We didn't make a good start, they scored a lot of points. We lost by three points, that's very disappointing.'
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has spoken of the need for his players to bounce back after this devastating defeat and to win the URC, thus ending a three-year wait for silverware.
'The season is not finished and we have the opportunity to win something, the URC this year," stressed Slimani. "It's been a long time since Leinster won something and I think we need to stay focused on the URC now.'It's not pressure, but now we have just one target. We are disappointed not to make the Champions Cup final but now the target is the URC. We have had a very good season in the URC, we need to continue that.'That's my first Champions Cup semi-final. It's disappointing. Last year I lost a Challenge Cup semi-final to Sharks like that. It's terrible because every guy did a good training week, they prepared well but we lost by just three points. I think that's worse.'
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