"You're having a decent game“ but ….

David Matthews shows how coaches can't resist ‘having a go’ at the referee.

Amongst all the plaudits given to the appointment of Eddie Jones you might struggle to find any details of altercations with referees, although I managed to dredge up a report that in his days coaching Queensland a dispute with the Australian referee had cost him a heavy fine. We never actually heard of Stuart Lancaster falling out with the officials. The whole concept of the relationship between coach and referee is worth a look at.

It might put the topic in context if I relate an occurrence from long ago; you will realise how long as it was a game, the only one I believe, played at the DW Stadium between Orrell    and Coventry. Peter Rossborough, former England full back and then in charge at the Midlands club, followed us into the changing rooms at half time, enquiring if he could just have a quick word with the referee (I was one of the two assistants). After he had harangued the poor guy with a catalogue of complaints he ended his 'quick word' with " Oh, you're having a decent game." Of course, and especially in the Premiership, you would not get near the referee's changing rooms  these days.

There are a large number of coaches who would appear on the referee's hit list; if they don't establish a confrontation with him after the game they resort to having a go in the press, and the writers are only too happy to give the outbursts maximum publicity. The inability to resist blaming the ref has to be shortsighted on the part of the coach as he will almost certainly be meeting up with him again sooner or later. I had cause to report two coaches to the Lancashire Disciplinary Commitee, one involving a game at Fylde and the other an Under 16 game on a Sunday morning. In respect of the Fylde match their representatives rolled up at the hearing and when asked what their role was, announced that they were there to support the referee; case ended. That was a Northern group hearing, the other reported to the County, produced a long ban. On both occasions I was incensed that the two coaches had launched their verbal assaults when the games were over, one storming into our changing room, the other in front of his team, not a great example to junior players.

Generally referees, particularly at lower levels, are reluctant to make a report on the behaviour of the coach. Regrettably this is only storing up trouble for the next person to be appointed to the team in question.

From the many coaches who instantly have a go at the referee when things are not going their way there are a number who can sensibly discuss the game. I reckon Stuart Lancaster falls into this category. Eddie Jones remains an unknown quantity; let's hope England don't start losing then we don't discover otherwise.

December 2015