Hurricanes captain TJ Perenara is fuming after a controversial call went against his side during the dying stages of their semi-final defeat to the Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday night.
Trailing by four points with two minutes on the clock and only 15m out from the try-line, Australian referee Nic Berry called a knock-on against halfback Perenara, which put an end to their hopes of winning.
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But replays showed that Crusaders lock Sam Whitelock illegally knocked the ball out of Perenara's hands, meaning the Hurricanes should have been awarded a penalty. Instead, the Crusaders were rewarded with a scrum, which they won, before booting the ball into touch to claim a 30-26 win.
If a penalty had been awarded, the Hurricanes would have had a chance to try to win the game, and create history by becoming the first team to beat the Crusaders at home in the playoffs.
Now the two-time defending champion Crusaders will face the Jaguares in next weekend's final at OrangeTheory Stadium.
"I guess it was pretty clear and obvious," Perenara said afterwards. "We all probably know, we have seen it. We know it's a penalty. The ref can't see everything. He makes a call, and calls it a knock-on.
"Sometimes we expect a penalty there for a deliberate knock-down, but it is what it is in a game of footy.
"It's disappointing because we put ourselves in a position to win a semi-final and compete in a championship, but we didn't get there in the end."
Hurricanes coach John Plumtree echoed Perenara's thoughts.
"I think something happened in that last ruck that you guys [the media] might want to have a look at, at some point," Plumtree said. "We all saw it from the big screen.
Crusaders captain Kieran Read was also asked about the call, but he brushed it off, calling it a "veteran play".
Rugby fans also took to Twitter to vent their frustrations over the decision, with many saying the Hurricanes were "robbed".
Despite the call, Plumtree felt that was a game the Hurricanes should have won.
"We just sort of feel we let probably let that one slip in some ways," Plumtree lamented.
"But you still have to acknowledge the Crusaders. They were under the pump and we were coming back at them. They managed to hold on.
"We left it all out there. That's all I can ask as a coach."
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