Referee predicted to use TMO six times in final Lions Test

Sporting Index predict referee Romain Poite will give square-box-signal six times to consult television match official

Photo: Ulster Rugby on X

After the television match official (TMO) played a big part in a red card offence in the British and Irish Lions Test against New Zealand last weekend, leading spread betting firm Sporting Index predict the square-box-signal will be given six times in the third and final Test match tomorrow.

French referee Jerome Garces used TMO to spot a shoulder charge to the head of Lion Anthony Watson by All Blacks centre Sonny Bill Williams, leading to the sending off of the New Zealand man during Warren Gatland’s side’s win to level the series. 

The third and final test match will be refereed by Frenchman Romain Poite, and Sporting Index’s traders predict the man in the centre will signal for video assistance a total of six times in Auckland on Saturday.

Ed Fulton, trading spokesman for Sporting Index, said: “Jerome Garces was spot on with his decision to dismiss Sonny Bill Williams last weekend using TMO, and our traders think we’re yet to see more of the video evidence in this weekend’s third and final Test – six times to be exact.   

“It could be a bad omen for the Lions that the man with the whistle for Saturday’s match is Romain Poite, and the All Blacks have won all eight matches they’ve had refereed by the Frenchman.  

“Poite was embroiled in a TMO scandal when he used video evidence to give a yellow card to Dan Carter the All Blacks’ 2013 Championship match against South Africa in Auckland, with the yellow subsequently rescinded by the International Rugby Board. So it’ll certainly be interesting to see Poite’s use of TMO this weekend as both teams go into the big event level at one match each.”

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