Former Test referee Bryce Lawrence says Jérôme Garcès couldn't have referred Richie McCaw's match-winning try at Ellis Park to the TMO.

Jonathan Kaplan claimed on Tuesday that the try should not have been awarded, and should have been referred to the TMO. Lawrence disagrees.

'It's a bit clearer on slow-motion, but the referee doesn't have slow-motion on the field,' the New Zealander told Radio Sport. 'So I'm not convinced it's clear and obviously an issue around where Richie was standing and where he left.

'I'm also not convinced it could have been referred to the TMO to check because my understanding of the TMO process is an instant like that can't be referred and checked.

'Checking whether the receiver was back 2m and did he leave a split second early or was he fine, to my knowledge that can't be referred to the TMO. That's a decision that the referee makes live in the moment.'

Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images