Nigel Owens confirms that Italy penalty should have been retaken, referee missed offence

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The fly-half looked set to seal the historic win until the ball fell off the tee, which resulted in a rushed attempt due to the shot clock.

There has been a lot of chat online about the incident, and Owens has seemingly confirmed there thought that the kick should have been retaken.

Rugby scribe Paul Williams tweeted: "I didn't think you were allowed to charge a pen. Even if the ball falls off the tee? Or is it classed as having moved, therefore in play?"

Owens responded by saying: "No you can’t charge a PK only a conversion,"

One fan wrote on Reddit: "According to World Rugby's rules you can't charge down a penalty kick and have to stand still with arms at your side. Clearly not what happened in game. Penalty should have been retaken 10m in front of where it was originally."

A second said: "I'm not one of those people who says games are gifted by officials, but in this case when it was a draw and the earlier try from France should not have been given it's different. That not one of the officials did nothing about the French players moving towards him during the kick is a huge failure considering it's clearly stated in the laws. Italy will not get a chance like this potentially ever again."

Another commented: "Are there any repercussions when referees make egregiously bad decisions? Like, I'm against players/coaches laying into refs and the media making a big show of them, but surely World Rugby should have a process for reviewing these situations? Also, how come the TMO and assistant referees kept quiet when the French players charged the kick? The ball didn't go out right away. There was plenty of time for them to flag it with him."

A fourth added: "Ref got caught in the headlights. First international game, right? Maybe unlucky for this to happen in your first game or maybe the French felt they could get away with it with him."

Rugby Pass 3/10: "Scrambled on defence and offered a release with a big right boot. His leading role in the blitz defence meant he missed as many tackles as he made. Replaced by Mason Grady on 57 minutes."

Rugby Dump 4/10: "Not the force he once way, Adams looks out of sorts at the moment and will be under pressure from the likes of Mason Grady who was superb when he came on."

Planet Rugby 4/10: "Relatively quiet and spent most of the game defending but missed more tackles than he made. Would have liked to impose himself on the game more."

Wales Online 5/10: "Didn't get many opportunities to show his class with ball in hand but there were a few aimless kicks, and he missed a tackle on Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan in the first-half. Worked hard during the second-half but it wasn't his day."

Telegraph 5/10: "Tough day, copping an early blow tackling Aki before being steamrolled by Sheehan. Was later crunched too by a big Van der Flier tackle."

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Rugby Pass 5/10: "Taking over from the injured Alex Mitchell, he began busily before a 16th-minute overcooked touch finder took pep out of England’s early stride. Deteriorated from there, his last act on 44 seeing him watch on in despair as van der Merwe collected Finn Russell’s crosskick to compete his hat-trick."

Telegraph 4/10: "Sharp service for the most part, but was unable to control the game with the boot, kicking out on the full and was continually harassed with his box kicking."

Planet Rugby 4/10: "Several levels below Alex Mitchell. The lack of length from box-kicks put England under pressure, especially early in the second half, while his decision-making from the base was atrocious. "

Telegraph 4/10: "Perhaps unsurprisingly was not on the same page as Ford and Slade in both attack and defence in their first game together. Badly fell off a tackle on Redpath that led to Scotland’s third try."

Planet Rugby 4/10: "Barely saw him in an attacking sense. A few carries, one bad pass, one dropped ball – although that was George Ford’s fault – but not the form we’ve seen in the Premiership."

Wales Online 5/10: "Got put through the wringer at scrum time where Andrew Porter got away with murder, but Assiratti got shoved backwards at a rate of knots at times. This was a tough day at the office but he will be better for it in the long run."

Rugby Pass 3/10: "Eaten in the scrum by the Ireland’s monstrous front row. It’s a tough ask going against one of the best packs in the world, especially one fronted up by Tagh Furlong and Andrew Porter, but on this occasion, Assiratti couldn’t stand up. Switched for Dillon Lewis on 52 minutes."

Telegraph 4/10: "Tough learning curve against Porter at the scrum, who in the eyes of the referee was dominant despite Welsh complaints about Porter’s angle."

Telegraph 3/10: "Penalty for sealing off led to three points but led the defensive scrap well. One grim pass. Sixteen tackles but capable of more."

Rugby Pass 2/10: "Just not enough power when it mattered. Kept getting battered by Bundee Aki and, with ball in hand, made life difficult for North on his outside. Started well with some swift scrambling defence, but as the game went on he faded. Every time Ireland charged towards his channel they seemed to breeze through it."

Rugby Dump 4/10: "Quiet today, Tompkins was solid without really producing any direction for his backline."