SANZAAR has reportedly told the Crusaders that the decision to cancel out their potential match-winning try against the Stormers was the wrong call.
Coach Scott Robertson confirmed to media on Thursday that call had been made.
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Leading 19-16 with five minutes remaining, Reece seemed to score what would have been the Crusaders' fourth try, when he caught a pass from Braydon Ennor on the halfway line, before chipping and re-gathering to cross in the corner.
Referee Nic Berry awarded the try, but as the conversion was being lined up, he went to South African third match official (TMO) Marius Jonker, after seeing a replay on the big screen.
Jonker deemed Ennor's pass was forward and the try was disallowed. The Stormers then kicked the game-tying penalty goal after the full-time siren to secure a 19-19 draw.
"SANZAAR just cleared up that the ruling was wrong," claimed Robertson. "We got clarity of the understanding of the rule - if it's backwards out of the hand, the pass is going backwards.
"Obviously, momentum is a big part of why it looked forward, but it isn't forward. It would be a pretty tough game of rugby [if you had] to stand still and pass backwards."
SANZAAR's definition of a forward pass states: "When a player throws or passes the ball forward ie. if the arms of the player passing the ball move forward."
As a result of his actions, Jonker, who was named one of four specialist TMO's for the Rugby World Cup, has reportedly been dropped for this weekend's game between the Sharks and Lions, and has been replaced by Christie du Preez.
On top of that, Rasta Rasivhenge has also been dropped, after a questionable performance during the Highlanders loss to the Lions at Ellis Park.
Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger unleashed on Rasivhenge, after awarding a 12-3 penalty count in favour of the Lions.
Rasivhenge was scheduled to control the Highlanders match against the Stormers, but Berry will now take the reigns.
In all games Rasivhenge has officiated this season, the penalty count is 44-23 against the offshore sides, while international teams have lost the penalty count 96-47 when playing in South Africa against the Bulls, Lions, Stormers and Sharks - with a South African referee in charge.
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