Kick time-out prompts shot clock display at ABs' home tests

By Will Toogood

There will be no excuses for timed-out kicks at goal at Eden Park on Saturday.

As the All Blacks host England for the second test in the series there will be a 60-second shot clock displayed on the big screen and the television broadcast, that will signal how much time a kicker has to take their shot at goal.

It comes after All Blacks first-five Damian McKenzie was deemed by referee to have taken longer than the time limit when lining up a penalty kick in the first test in Dunedin.

With just three minutes remaining in the match, the All Blacks won a penalty and captain Scott Barrett pointed towards the posts signalling they would like a shot at three points. Three points that would have given the All Blacks a four-point buffer with barely enough time for England to kick-off.

The clock begins when the captain points towards the posts for a shot at goal and this rule is not unknown to players as it was the same rule used in Super Rugby Pacific this year.

“The kick must be taken within 60 seconds (playing time) from the time the team indicated their intention to do so, even if the ball rolls over and has to be placed again. Sanction: Kick is disallowed and a scrum is awarded,” the law states.

Where confusion arose for McKenzie was that his only means of knowing how much time he had left was communication from the referee.

The referee blew his whistle and signalled that McKenzie had taken longer than the allocated 60 seconds and England were given possession back. The All Blacks’ player maker’s blushes were saved as the All Blacks held on to record a 16-15 victory but the incident sparked debate as to whether communication from the referee was enough clarity.

Fans were quick to point out that a shot clock displayed on the big screen would be the best way for players and officials to be on the same page regarding how much time has passed.

When contacted by the Herald, NZR released a statement confirming that a shot clock would be used for Saturday’s second test at Eden Park and for all further home All Blacks tests in 2024.

“NZR can confirm that there will be a shot clock shown on the stadium big screen and broadcast for this weekend’s test match in Auckland. This will also be in-place for all home yest matches in 2024.

“The current process using the referee to communicate with the kicker has been successfully used in Super Rugby Pacific for the past two seasons and continues to be an effective way to monitor the time limit.”

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission