Respected pundit Morgan Turinui has blasted officials for missing a crucial knock-on in the lead-up to the Crusaders’ match-winning try in Canberra on Friday night.

With a top two finish and a home semi-final on the line, New Zealand referee James Doleman – and his assistants – failed to spot a clear knock-on in the 75th minute, deeming Sevu Reece’s effort “off the foot” in the lead up to awarding the Crusaders a crucial penalty.

The decision proved to be a match-turning one, with the Crusaders scoring directly from the rolling maul to give the New Zealand side a 33-31 lead. It proved to be a match-winning blow.

While the Brumbies had a late opportunity to win the game, Corey Toole knocked on and the Crusaders won the scrum and swiftly kicked the ball out with time up to end the superb contest.

Crusaders hooker George Bell celebrates scoring the match-winning try against the Brumbies in Canberra. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

However, the result shattered the Brumbies’ top two hopes and was a hammer blow in their quest to win a first Super Rugby title since 2004.

But much of the post-game reaction was dominated by Doleman’s decision to let play continue in the lead up to the Crusaders’ decisive try.

“That’s a genuine knock on,” said World Cup winner Matt Burke. “And the difficulty with that is the referee’s there, the assistant referee is three metres away, and it’s nuisances in a game that can swing it, and the scoreline should have read the other way around.”

While Burke questioned the decision, his Stan Sport colleague, former Wallaby Turinui, blasted it.

The respected commentator was particularly scathing about the fact Doleman’s assistant, Angus Mabey, who was also within metres of the knock-on, failed to alert his colleague of the mistake.

“There’s protocols around when the TMO can and can’t come in, of course,” Turinui began.

“He’s got it completely wrong James Doleman around it coming off the foot, but his assistant referee has a clear view and has to step in and fix an absolute gaffe that quite simply cost the Brumbies the game, cost the Brumbies a home semi-final, and completely changes the makeup of this competition.

“It’s revenue for the Brumbies organisation, it’s home ground advantage week two of a semi-final – they haven’t finished top two in 21 years and they won the comp that year – so an absolute refereeing gaffe (cost them).

“Now, the Crusaders got the opportunity and were good enough to get the maul and score the try, but the refereeing, that’s not up to the standard required of Super Rugby Pacific.

“It quite simply cost the Brumbies second spot on the ladder and really hampers their chance of winning the comp. It’s disgraceful.”

Referee James Doleman was blasted for missing an obvious knock-on late in the Brumbies’ loss to the Crusaders at GIO Stadium in Canberra. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

Making the decision all the more perplexing for viewers is that Super Rugby Pacific officials introduced a law change to allow referees to pick up mistakes if they occurred in the last “attacking phase” ahead of tries.

But because a penalty was blown, the TMO, who had earlier interjected to overrule an incorrect decision to award the Crusaders a lineout after Mabey said the Brumbies touched a clearing kick, kept out of the game.

Asked by long-time host Nick McArdle whether Doleman and his officials should expect to feature in the finals, Turinui said the officials’ off night went beyond the missed knock-on.

“I wouldn’t have thought James Doleman was in the top two or three referees anyway, so I wouldn’t expect to see him,” he said.

“I thought he had a poor night at breakdown.

“We had the worst decision ever by an assistant referee, where a player misses the ball by two metres and he thought it was charged down. It had to be saved by Richard Kelly up top. I don’t know if that’s in the protocol, but they can’t save an absolute refereeing gaffe that cost the Brumbies the game.”

The Brumbies were left to rue a late loss to the Crusaders, which spoiled their top two hopes. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham kept his powder relatively dry, but admitted he thought the officials missed the knock-on.

“I didn’t notice too much,” the World Cup winner said.

“Obviously there was a knock on here from the winger before they kicked into the corner and scored. We can’t do too much about that.

“We know referees are going to make mistakes, that’s a pretty crucial one from our perspective, but it was a live call that went their way and we probably had a couple in the first and second halves.

“There was a lot of contest at the breakdown and from a referee’s perspective, when you’re so focussed on the breakdown, sometimes you miss some other things around the park.”

Acting Brumbies captain Ryan Lonergan agreed, but said his side didn’t help themselves.

“I thought it was, but that’s the way it is,” he said. “We weren’t good enough and it started from that exit really.”

The result meant that instead of likely hosting the Reds, who the Brumbies have beaten twice in 2025, they will welcome back the Hurricanes, who they lost to in late April.

Meanwhile, the Crusaders will likely host the Reds.