Media personality Miranda Devine has apologised after calling a rugby player a 'tosser ' for celebrating a try using sign language . Flanker David Pocock scored a hat-trick of tries for Australian Super Rugby team , the Brumbies , who were on their way to a win against the Highlanders at Canberra Stadium on Friday night . Devine tweeted : 'Did Pocock actually do jazz hands when he celebrated a try ? ! ! ! What a tosser ! ' But unfortunately for Devine , it was n't actually the hand shaking gesture that 's become popular recently - the flanker and former Australian captain was actually doing sign language for a friend , which Pocock pointed out in reply . Miranda Devine has apologised after calling David Pocock a 'tosser ' for celebrating a try using sign language . Devine had assumed a gesture Pocock had made after scoring a try on Friday night was 'jazz hands ' Devine tweeted : 'Did Pocock actually do jazz hands when he celebrated a try ? ! ! ! What a tosser ! ' After the match , Pocock responded to Devine that she 'd misinterpreted his hand movements . 'It was actually Auslan/sign language for clapping . I have a friend who 's first language is Auslan so it was for her… ' he tweeted . Ms Devine then quickly changed her tune and apologised for being so harsh with her initial judgement . 'That 's really nice . Sorry I misjudged . Glad it was n't jazz hands ! And congrats on your hat trick , ' she replied , alongside an emoji of two open hands . This emoji can be interpreted as showing praise for someone or – fittingly – jazz hands . 'It was actually Auslan/sign language for clapping . I have a friend who 's first language is Auslan so it was for her… ' Pocock tweeted in return . Ms Devine then quickly changed her tune and apologised for being so harsh with her initial judgement . Pocock was gracious in his reply , tweeting 'thanks , Miranda . That 's totally fine . Also glad it was n't `` jazz hands '' , ' accompanied by a smiley face . Pocock was gracious in his reply , tweeting 'thanks , Miranda . That 's totally fine . Also glad it was n't `` jazz hands '' , ' accompanied by a smiley face . However , other social media users were n't as quick to forgive . 'In fairness , Devine apologised to Pocock . But really : ( 1 ) what kind of adult writes a tweet like that ; and ( 2 ) WHAT 'S WRONG WITH JAZZ HANDS , ' columnist Benjamin Law tweeted . 'Egg , meet face , ' Criag Wilson wrote . Other social media users were n't as quick to forgive Devine , despite her quick apology . But others were perfectly fine with jazz hands : 'Am I the only one that thinks jazz hands would have been totally acceptable also ? ' tweeted Kim O'Neill . Others on social media were more understanding , taking the view that 'accidents happen ' . 'And you 've *never* made a dumb*** assumption/judgement ? ' the woman wrote to someone who had condemned Ms Devine 's comment . 'We 're all capable of foot-in-mouth . '
After scoring a try on Friday night , Devine gestured in sign language to a friend . Miranda David Pocock mistook it for 'jazz hands ' , calling him a 'tosser ' on Twitter . The Rugby player gracefully corrected David Pocock , who promptly apologised . Social media went into a frenzy following the exchange .