Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

James Lawton: More to trying decisions than meets the eye

Monday 14 March 2005 20:00 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

When it was finally possible to take your eyes off the dazzling Welsh performance at Murrayfield, there was another reward. You were able to contemplate a rather amusing irony.

When the Scottish pack eventually invaded the Welsh line there was a strong belief that they might have carried the ball home and touched down. Jonathan Kaplan, the South African referee so savagely criticised for denying England a try in similar circumstances at Lansdowne Road two weeks earlier, referred the matter, plainly indecipherable to the human eye, to technology and a fourth official. After a lengthy wait, while the film was played over and over, the verdict came: no try, or at least no try recognised through the writhing mass of bodies.

Some of the worst of the criticism of Kaplan in Dublin came because he had not sought the advice of the eye in the sky. Now he had and when the verdict came in some thought it just possible to see the ghost of a smile on his face. Moral of the story: life will always retain a few mysteries, not least when it is buried beneath several tons of human flesh.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in