Star Metro - French TV defend Champions Cup video referee after Van Graan criticism

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French TV defend Champions Cup video referee after Van Graan criticism

CULTURE 04.05.2026

French TV defend Champions Cup video referee after Van Graan criticism / Photo: ROMAIN PERROCHEAU - AFP

French Champions Cup television broadcasters said on Monday it is "impossible to hide footage" after Bath coach Johan van Graan slammed the video referee procedure in his side's Champions Cup semi-final loss away to Bordeaux-Begles on the weekend.

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South African Van Graan claimed the match officials missed three "clear headshots" on No.8 Alfie Barbeary due to a lack of TV images provided by host broadcasters, France Televisions.

Bath lost 38-26 to holders Bordeaux-Begles on Sunday, with the French side setting up a final against Irish province Leinster on May 23 in Bilbao, Spain.

"The video referee, when he says 'I want to speak to the on-field referee as I've seen something', play is stopped, the referee asks us for the footage, we give it to him, and then we broadcast the footage," France Televisions' rugby editor Cedric Beaudou told AFP.

"The video referee is the master of what he wants to see, and nowadays he has access to every camera, every angle.

"Until he makes his decisions, we leave him to see what he wants to see.

"It's impossible to hide footage," he added.

Barbeary shared an image on social media of one of three incidents, where opposition scrum-half Maxime Lucu makes contact with his head, writing "French kissing".

Tournament organsiers, European Professional Club Rugby, defended the television match official (TMO) procedure.

"The TMO interventions are managed by the television brodcast," EPCR told AFP.

"Two screens ares used: one live, and another with a five-second delay.

"This is identical for all EPCR matches.

"Every incident the TMO wants to study can be the subject of a formal review," they added.

S.Clark--SMC

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