Referee abuse is on rise and ‘must be curbed’

A leading English match official claims referee abuse is rising sharply and has urged the RFU and Premiership Rugby to act before someone is hurt.
Last week’s top-flight clash between Bath and Saracens was marred by abuse aimed at referee Greg Garner and his assistants, both during and as they left the field at the final whistle, after which an irate home fan entered the dressing room area.
A joint-inquiry is ongoing and other Bath fans have been quick to condemn the braying mob behaviour, which ignited after Garner’s correctly dismissed home winger Anthony Watson for taking out Saracens full-back Alex Goode in the air.
However, one senior official believes the incident is part of a growing problem that if not properly tackled could leave referees exposed to risk.
The Premiership regular told The Rugby Paper: “Crowds in the Premiership are double the size they were 10-15 years ago and, while I wouldn’t say it’s an inevitable consequence of professionalism, there’s been a change in atmosphere at rugby.
“With bigger crowds comes a different audience and you’ve got to ask where that audience has come from? You would be naive to think it’s all people who’ve been immersed in rugby all their lives, so they must have come from elsewhere.
“We’ve seen an incident at Twickenham where people shouted homophobic abuse at Nigel Owens and there have been numerous unreported incidents at grounds.
“I don’t subscribe to the view that match officials should be immune from criticism, nor do many of my colleagues, and objective criticism is useful. But when it steps over the line, as it did with Greg Garner, you’ve got to take notice and act.
“No one wants to see CCTV everywhere like football or referees escorted to and from grounds in blacked-out people carriers, but I’d be disappointed if Premiership clubs weren’t all reviewing their security.”
Players and coaches have a responsibility too, says the official, who explained: “You’ve only got to look at the reaction of Anthony Watson when he got sent off, trying to berate the fourth official who had nothing to do with making the decision.
“Watson’s an England player who’s no longer inexperienced. While everybody gets emotional at times, you’ve got to be able to deal with that.
“We’ve had recent incidences of players waving dummy yellow cards like footballers and there’s been a noticeable decline in behaviour.”
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