The one thing we didn’t need has already happened and we have only just started what should be a contest between teams. In two of the three games last week, it was the referee who made the difference between winning and losing, not the players.
Admittedly, in the England v France game it was only Angus Gardner’s second Six Nations match and he had an official referee assessment audience watching his every move from the Royal Box – but that is no excuse.
Usually a referee gives the attacking side the benefit of a slight advantage at the breakdown allowing the tackled player...