SCOTTISH BACKROW PAIR Josh Strauss and David Denton have been speaking of the devastation in the squad, following yesterday’s agonising 35-34 defeat to Australia in the World Cup quarter-final.
It looked like Vern Cotter’s side had snatched a victory for the ages with Mark Bennett’s late intercept try, but a controversial penalty decision late in the game allowed Australian out-half Bernard Foley to kick his side back into the lead in the final minute.
Referee Craig Joubert deemed that Scotland had knocked on the ball before it was picked up by prop John Welsh in an offside position.
However, a touch from Australian Nick Phipps following the initial knock-on by John Hardie meant that the decision should have been a scrum, rather than a penalty.
Joubert deemed that Scotland’s Josh Strauss had touched the ball, rather than Phipps, and after the game the flanker was adamant that it never made contact with him.
“It never touched me. Even if it did, it would have touched my shoulder it wouldn’t have been a knock on. But that’s not my call to make.
“I’ve learnt not to dwell on things too much, I will take tonight on the chin. I’ll see the family and have some fun with the boys, I think we deserve it.”
The flanker was also honest enough to admit that he thought they had done enough to see out the victory after Bennett’s late try.
“I’m gutted, it feels very dark after that game. We played really well, in my opinion we should have won that game. That’s what makes this more disappointing.
“You never want to get complacent but yes, I did think we won the game when Mark (Bennett) went over.”
His backrow partner David Denton was the lineout jumper in the moments before the crucial decision, and he added that the heartbreak of the situation was hard to take.
“It’s lucky you have caught me an hour after the game (laughs), this is the toughest loss of my career for sure. It’s devastating to play the way we did and not come away with the win.
“I went and met my family and girlfriend after and I think we could have filled a bath with all the tears.
“The ball is oval sadly and it bounces in different directions. A bounce of the ball has changed the next four years of our lives. It’s unbelievable, it is literally centimetres that have dictated what’s happened and it’s devastating.
“My family thought we didn’t have a cat in hell’s chance, inside though we knew we had played OK and it was the time for us to do well. Saying that, Australia were due a bad day too.”
