"That is what TMOs are for and I am pretty sure you can go to them, even from that far out. We try to play by the rules of the game,” said the 32-year-old.

"These games are won and lost on little moments and that was a huge moment. What's the point of having a TMO if you can't check that?

"When I went over to him he was pushing everyone away and I told him I was captain and he said that was fine but he wanted to talk to his touch judge.

"So I stood there and before anything else could be said he awarded the try.

"It was clearly an illegitimate try and we feel hard done by.”

The centre scored a record-equaling 24th Six Nations try but it proved scant consolation as Ireland slumped to their second defeat of the Championship.

"I couldn't care for that at the moment. It's deflating when you lose anyway - but to lose in a contentious manner makes it worse.

“I tried to relate that to Jonathan Kaplan and the touch judge and they were having none of it and it's really frustrating for such an incident to have a huge bearing on the game.”