05-11-2006, 08:48 AM
November 04, 2006 Edition 1
Peter Bills
The International Rugby Board yesterday announced it is to crack down on backchat from players.
Zero tolerance is the buzz phrase that has emerged from this week's deliberations over in London among the world's top 20 rugby referees. Neither captains nor individual players will any longer be allowed to query an official's decision. They will be told the reasons for the penalty and asked to move back immediately. If they desist, they will concede a further 10 metres. Any further dissent will lead to yellow cards.
Frankly, the decision is long overdue. There have been times in recent years when it's seemed as though players like Sean Fitzpatrick, Lawrence Dallaglio and Matt Dawson have been refereeing games. They've been whingeing, moaning, complaining and berating officials for their decisions. They've given them more advice than a US President gets. It had to stop and it's a good thing it will.
Refereeing any rugby match these days is difficult enough without having to justify most of your decisions. But that's the stage it has got to. And, of course, at the top level, the crafty captains have been querying an official's decision not because they want clarification but to prevent the opposition taking a quick tap penalty and getting on with the game.
The IRB's referee supremo Paddy O'Brien admitted "This has become a significant problem. It's got a lot closer to what you have in soccer; players arguing and complaining at a referee's decision. We can't have that in rugby.
"What worries me is that now, you see a club game at junior level and the players are doing it there, too. Every time a referee makes a decision, someone is querying it. They're getting it from watching the top players in matches on TV. We have to sort this out now."
So a general edict has been issued to referees. They need state only: 'Penalty, No 7 offside'.
O'Brien says that attempts by referees to create communication with players has backfired. He's right. No referee should have to justify his decision to any player. It's not as if he's going to change it after a debate over its rights and wrongs. Most refs have become weary of hearing players moaning endlessly at them, complaining volubly when they're in the wrong themselves. All it is, is a cheap way of pressurising officials and trying to rattle the referee. And it's got to stop.
O'Brien says common sense will be used by referees and he believes players will toe the line. Fine if they do. But a few yellow cards here and there early on, would probably ensure the trend dies out. And the referees had better adhere to the new instruction too. The top 20 officials in the world were in London this week for the meeting. But only 12 will be selected for next year's World Cup.
As O'Brien says "The heat is on the referees as well."
Peter Bills
The International Rugby Board yesterday announced it is to crack down on backchat from players.
Zero tolerance is the buzz phrase that has emerged from this week's deliberations over in London among the world's top 20 rugby referees. Neither captains nor individual players will any longer be allowed to query an official's decision. They will be told the reasons for the penalty and asked to move back immediately. If they desist, they will concede a further 10 metres. Any further dissent will lead to yellow cards.
Frankly, the decision is long overdue. There have been times in recent years when it's seemed as though players like Sean Fitzpatrick, Lawrence Dallaglio and Matt Dawson have been refereeing games. They've been whingeing, moaning, complaining and berating officials for their decisions. They've given them more advice than a US President gets. It had to stop and it's a good thing it will.
Refereeing any rugby match these days is difficult enough without having to justify most of your decisions. But that's the stage it has got to. And, of course, at the top level, the crafty captains have been querying an official's decision not because they want clarification but to prevent the opposition taking a quick tap penalty and getting on with the game.
The IRB's referee supremo Paddy O'Brien admitted "This has become a significant problem. It's got a lot closer to what you have in soccer; players arguing and complaining at a referee's decision. We can't have that in rugby.
"What worries me is that now, you see a club game at junior level and the players are doing it there, too. Every time a referee makes a decision, someone is querying it. They're getting it from watching the top players in matches on TV. We have to sort this out now."
So a general edict has been issued to referees. They need state only: 'Penalty, No 7 offside'.
O'Brien says that attempts by referees to create communication with players has backfired. He's right. No referee should have to justify his decision to any player. It's not as if he's going to change it after a debate over its rights and wrongs. Most refs have become weary of hearing players moaning endlessly at them, complaining volubly when they're in the wrong themselves. All it is, is a cheap way of pressurising officials and trying to rattle the referee. And it's got to stop.
O'Brien says common sense will be used by referees and he believes players will toe the line. Fine if they do. But a few yellow cards here and there early on, would probably ensure the trend dies out. And the referees had better adhere to the new instruction too. The top 20 officials in the world were in London this week for the meeting. But only 12 will be selected for next year's World Cup.
As O'Brien says "The heat is on the referees as well."