Call for law change after double jeopardy 'crime'

Former Wallaby Morgan Turinui has called for a change to rugby's laws in the wake of Max Jorgensen's double jeopardy punishment.

Queensland were awarded a penalty try - and Jorgensen copped a yellow card - for tackling a try-bound Jordan Petaia without the ball just before halftime of Saturday's Super Rugby Pacific clash.

Replays showed Jorgensen did make contact just before Petaia grabbed the Gilbert - but the sinbinning was harsh on top of the automatic seven points.

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NSW had some minor grumbles about the incident afterwards but conceded they were outplayed by Les Kiss' enterprising Reds.

"They've got to change the law so that referees have some wiggle room to go 'jeez, you're unlucky there, I have to give a penalty try, but you can stay on the field'," Turinui said on Stan Sport's Between Two Posts.

Another former Wallaby, Stephen Hoiles, agreed that the officials had made the correct call under the game's current laws.

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"But you said it during the commentary, that the punishment does not fit the crime," champion Randwick coach Hoiles said.

"They got it absolutely right as the law states. But does there have to be some type of consideration now for accidental? There's a difference between a professional foul and an accident that went wrong. I just don't think that deserved to be a penalty try."

BTP host Sean Maloney labelled the decision "match defining" as the Reds ran out 40-22 winners at Suncorp Stadium.