Another clock cock-up

Wales players reveal confusion over timekeeping

Wales coach Mike Ruddock will stress to his players the need to communicate with the referee after more confusion over yesterday's game time clock in the Millennium Stadium.

Against South Africa a fortnight ago, the clock ticked on to 88 minutes before the referee ended the contest. The clock in the stadium was showing real time as opposed to actual game-playing time.

But in the match against the All Blacks on Saturday, the clock showed actual game-playing time, i.e. every time the referee called "time off" the stadium clock stopped as well.

The Welsh players believed the clock was showing real time, and expected five or so minutes of injury time to still be played.

The mix-up had potentially game-swinging consequences. Wales kicked a penalty with 76 minutes showing on the clock, in the belief that they had four minutes plus injury time to get themselves within drop goal range.

In reality, they had only four minutes, which was why backs coach Scott Johnson was screaming at Gareth Thomas to run a backline move from the penalty.

Then, with the clock showing 80 minutes, Stephen Jones kicked the ball out. He believed there was still "five or six minutes" left in the game.

He took the kick for touch hoping Wales could pinch New Zealand's lineout and set up the drop goal chance.

What he got was the referee's final whistle. The Wales players were stunned. They had just kicked the ball dead to end a game they were trying to win.

"None of us realised that was the end," said centre Gavin Henson. "It would have been handy if there was a hooter or something so we could keep the ball.

"We were trying to get into a position for a drop goal.

"We knew it was close to the end of the game but we thought 'go for territory, take the lineout and put pressure on and set up for a drop goal or penalty'.

"But he blew up at the end. I couldn't believe it."

Jones described how he had been told, when 76 minutes showed on the clock, that 10 minutes still remained.

"I wouldn't have kicked that ball away if I had known," he said.

According to Millennium Stadium manager Paul Sergeant, the issue was raised at a pre-match debrief involving team management.

Gareth Thomas has raised his hands and accepted that he did not communicate the information to his team, but Ruddock has taken the issue as a lesson for his players in their collective responsibility.

"The referee is the sole judge of time in the game," said Ruddock, who insisted there was no issue because the first half timed in at 42 minutes, the second at 44..

"It's about double-checking with the referee. It's a simple practice and one I will reinforce with the players."