TMO in the eye of the storm: Did he miss Sheehan’s hit on Lynagh?

In an unexpected turn, the rugby world’s attention is focused on Dan Sheehan. After a “clean-out” by the British and Irish Lions player was deemed legal, the player finds himself at the center of the controversy. The incident, which occurred during the third test against Australia, has led to a citing by World Rugby, despite the effort of his teammate securing his team’s victory in the series. Australia, demonstrating a committed game, managed to prevail with a score of 22-12, preventing the Lions from completing a sweep. The match, held at Accor Stadium, was interrupted by a 38-minute delay due to weather conditions. The interruption, caused by lightning, could have affected Australia’s performance, but the team knew how to take advantage of the break to consolidate their lead.

Tom Lynagh flattened by elbow to the head. #AUSvBIL pic.twitter.com/RUtfCOGU4W

— Jobson Growthe (@electricBAU) August 2, 2025

The Australian victory was marred by the injury to Tom Lynagh, the young number 10, who suffered a dangerous hit from Sheehan, the Lions’ hooker. Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt praised Lynagh’s bravery. However, he chose not to comment on the Sheehan incident. The Lynagh incident, which was not penalized on the field, has generated controversy, especially due to the apparent omission of the Television Match Official (TMO), Marius Jonker. Lynagh was removed from the field for a concussion evaluation and was unable to return to the game.

Schmidt commented on the incident: “I haven’t had the opportunity to analyze it well. At the end of the match, I have great respect for Dan and there are some things that happen in such a physical encounter.” The TMO Jonker, despite overlooking Sheehan’s hit on Lynagh, intervened in other minor incidents, which generated confusion among players and fans. Schmidt added that he would review the match to assess the role of the TMO and avoided commenting on the incident until he had a complete view. The Lions coach, Andy Farrell, also avoided commenting on Sheehan’s incidents, mentioning the complexity of analyzing rugby incidents. Sheehan’s citation will be resolved on Sunday, according to the World Rugby off-field sanction process.