French broadcaster defends TMO after Bath's Johann van Graan criticized missed head contact calls during a semi-final match. Van Graan demands consistency from officials regarding foul play incidents.
Johann van Graan called for "consistency" after saying that three carries from Alfie Barbeary made direct contact to the head [Getty Images]
France's television broadcaster of the Champions Cup has responded to criticism of the television match official (TMO) from Bath boss Johann van Graan, saying "the video referee is the master of what he wants to see".
Van Graan said that foul play incidents were missed in his side's semi-final loss to Bordeaux-Begles, and called for more consistency from officials.
He said they missed three instances of head contact on Bath's Alfie Barbeary, but the broadcaster says all footage was shared correctly.
"The video referee is the master of what he wants to see, and nowadays he has access to every camera, every angle," France Televisions' rugby editor Cedric Beaudou told AFP.
"Until he makes his decisions, we leave him to see what he wants to see. It's impossible to hide footage."
Van Graan accepted his side was outplayed in the 38-26 defeat but said "certain things are not picked up when you play away from home in France".
European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR), who organise the tournament, also defended the TMO and explained how the video footage is used by the video referee.
"The TMO interventions are managed by the television broadcast," EPCR told AFP.
"Two screens are 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."
The Champions Cup final takes place on 23 May where Bordeaux will defend their title against Leinster.
Johann van Graan criticized the TMO for missing three instances of head contact involving Alfie Barbeary during Bath's semi-final match.
The French broadcaster stated that the TMO is in control of what footage to review and that all relevant footage was shared correctly.
The TMO's decisions can significantly impact the outcome of matches, as they are responsible for reviewing foul play and ensuring player safety.
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