Johan Ackermann looking for clarity over Bulls disallowed try

The Bulls strengthened their push for a place in the United Rugby Championship top eight with a narrow 23-21 win at Loftus Versveld on Saturday, thanks to a couple of first half tries and the deadly kicking accuracy of flyhalf Handre Pollard.

However, they thought they secured the result with a late Kriel try after a flowing multi-phase move and a pinpoint cross-kick by Willie le Roux before it was chalked off by the TMO for a forward pass in the build-up.

Ackermann felt the pass that was deemed to be forward was too many phases before the try and is eager to get clarity on how far back the TMO can go when looking for transgressions.

"I felt we scored a great try. We were very disappointed that the try was disallowed," he said.

"We will get clarity from the referees involved about how far we can go back.

"At the moment, for forward passes, we've got it that you can only go back two phases. I think there were three or four phases involved.

"Depending on what hat you put on, you will say it is a forward pass. If you put the Bulls hat on, you would say the ball travelled out of his hands backwards, so we need clarity on that."

Ackermann also took issue with how long the TMO waited before intervening.

"The frustrating thing is they let so much time go past. Even Handré's full minute to take the conversion was almost gone before the referral started, and often they don't put that time back," he said.

"Even with that disappointment and going all the way back, we still did enough to get the territory, the possession and the penalties to win the game.

"We're on the right side of the result, so you take it a bit easier. But if we had lost, it would probably have been a big talking point."