James Graham stays tight-lipped over controversial ‘no try’ call

NO GO: England's James Graham is judged to have failed to ground the ball and his 'try' is not given by the video officials, setting up a winner-takes-all clash with New Zealand at Wigan on Saturday. Picture: Paul Harding PA.

When he dived on Josh Hodgson’s dabbed kick next to the posts in the 72nd minute, Australian referee Gerard Sutton awarded the score only for English video officials Phil Bentham and James Child to overrule his decision.

The replays certainly were not conclusive as to whether the Canterbury forward had correctly touched down so most people in the Olympic Stadium expected Sutton’s call to be confirmed.

With a simple conversion to come, the game would have been levelled 8-8 but instead England went on to lose 9-2, making the series 1-1 and setting up a decider in Saturday’s third and final Test at Wigan.

Asked about that decision, a clearly irritated Graham said: “I can’t say anything. I’m not allowed to comment because they’re the rules, aren’t they?

“The referee was obviously right. I’m just not allowed to say something as the rules are in place, certainly in Australia at least, where you can’t publicly come out and disagree with a decision. There you go.

“The video referee said it wasn’t (a try) so you’d have to ask a physicist about downward pressure and what that means because I can’t answer the question.”

England’s defensive display was almost heroic at times but that wasn’t enough.

Graham, 30, added: “Ultimately it didn’t matter as we didn’t get the win.

“It’s set up nicely for the fans and for the game now but we’d have liked to have finished the job today.”