‘You try it then!’ - Ronnie O’Sullivan tells referee to take shot amid amazing scenes in Judd Trump final
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Updated 01/05/2022 at 16:55 GMT
"You try it then!" an exasperated Ronnie O'Sullivan eventually said to the referee after being repeatedly told to take a shot following a re-spotted white that he felt was not correct. O'Sullivan had an extended argument with the referee over the positioning of the white ball in what was already a dramatic opening to his World Championship final against Judd Trump at the Crucible.
‘You try it then’ - Watch remarkable moment O’Sullivan tells referee to take shot amid row
There was an astonishing moment during the World Championship final as Ronnie O'Sullivan had an argument with the referee over the placement of the white.
As if the tension was not high enough already as the 46-year-old took on Judd Trump with the World Championship on the line at the Crucible, he engaged in an extended row with the official over the re-spot of the ball.
Trump left O'Sullivan with a tricky shot following a safety and, with the thinnest sliver of red in his eyeline, he asked Trump to come to the table to confirm he could indeed see the ball.
After missing and fouling, O'Sullivan was absolutely adamant that he should have been able to see the red ball at the opposite end of the table when the white was placed back, but the referee was not remotely happy with his ongoing requests to move the white further to his left.
The crowd laughed at times and Trump was frequently called over to share his thoughts too as the situation became more and more farcical with real drama on the biggest stage the sport has in the famous old theatre.
The Rocket was left hugely frustrated with the referee and even, comically, at one point asked him if he wanted to have a go himself with the cue ball not in the position he felt it should have been.
After the referee said, "you can still flick the red on the left-hand side", an exasperated O'Sullivan replied: "You try it then!"
Eventually, O'Sullivan ceased refusing to play the shot until he was happy. Indeed, he was able to make contact with the red and bring the white safely back to the baulk cushion.
Trump was sporting as he sided with O'Sullivan's repeated requests to have the white ball moved into a more favourable position - where he felt it should have been re-spotted from the very beginning.
In the Eurosport studio, Alan McManus attempted to explain what happened.
“Oli Marteel will have had a look at the cue ball when he played the thin escape the first time round. There’s a little bit of red paint sticking out. But it’s miniscule.
"It’s not an easy job. Ronnie, good on him, he invites Judd: ‘Judd, come and have a look at this pal because it’s very, very tight.’
"On the first attempt by Ronnie, there was a bit of red paint sticking out. So obviously there should be on the replacement – and there was. So there was nothing untoward about it.
"Ronnie wants Judd to know: ‘Are you OK with this?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Brilliant’. Then there’s no history about it, there’s no regret or guilt and you can just get on with the match.”
Jimmy White said it was another example of the great sportsmanship found in snooker.
“He’s explaining to Judd Trump that there’s definitely a little bit of the ball he can hit," said White.
"It’s nice to see our sport is played with good sportsmanship."
It was not the first moment of real drama away from the actual potting of balls during the final with O'Sullivan again unhappy with someone in the crowd as he complained about a security guard.
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Watch as O'Sullivan complains about security guard in final against Trump
While he has been at his sublime best throughout this fortnight in Sheffield, the 46-year-old has had grumpy moments inside the Crucible Theatre while he has been over a shot.
This time, rather than it being a member of the crowd who upset the Rocket, it was a security guard who was moving around too much in his eyeline.
It is not the first time in this tournament that O'Sullivan has been less than happy with a member of the audience at the Crucible Theatre.
"He keeps moving about, the security guard - just tell him to stay out of my eyeline," O'Sullivan told the referee, who in turn waved and instructed the person in question.
"He is staring at someone in the audience here," said Dave Hendon, on commentary for Eurosport.
"He is right in his eyeline. I mean, he potted the pink, but he still wants the person ... in fact, it is the security guard he is talking about!"
"It is not actually a spectator. He is in a mean mood here isn't he!"
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