Fast-tracked: the way ahead in refereeing could be changing

David Matthews reports on a remarkable achievement which could have an impact on future appointments

There was a notable first in the refereeing world recently when Karl Dickson, a past scrum half at Harlequins, took charge of the Premiership game between Gloucester and Saracens. He retired from playing just six months ago, so becoming the only former senior player to referee in the elite division, not to mention the speed of his promotion. The commentary on this televised match centred around him for the first ten minutes and it was all complimentary: I had to agree with the notion that it was pointless for the players to try it on because he had seen it all before.

There is a precedent, in recent times, for rapid elevation from senior player to international referee: Glen Jackson from New Zealand, who moved up the ladder fast after a distinguished spell at Saracens, featured in the 2015 World Cup and is regarded as one of the top officials from New Zealand. He was preceded by Alain Rolland who played for Ireland before embarking on a long period as International referee. But Dickson is the only Englishman to earn this distinction. He could easily become the first to reach the dizzy heights of International refereeing.

At lower levels the assumption that a player who turns to refereeing after a respectable career automatically has qualities to make it with the whistle does not necessarily follow. I can think of a number who have done so but they, though not quite at the top of the game, were at least playing at a senior club. The majority of the others may well have played at some level but are not enthusiastic about extending their involvement. In fact, I have to say that any number of these have been shockers; fortunately, like players, an appropriate level awaits.

Time was when an end to refereeing led only to spectating. Nowadays there is a choice of ways to continue being a nuisance and if the current media reporting is anything to go by then that is what is happening in too many international games. The TMO seems to come out of it all as the villain for being called upon too often or talking too much. At the extreme end, some critics have called for abolition of the system, others for an overhaul of the entire process - mainly to reduce the time the crowd and viewers are left twiddling their fingers. My own view is that is that it should return solely to adjudication on tries, leaving the man in the middle to make his mind up on everything else.

Anyway, joining the list of debutants is Claire Hodnett who made her first TMO appearance in the Premiership in the game between Newcastle and Gloucester. She is already leading the way amongst the aspiring female referees and, like Karl Dickson’s breakthrough, we are looking at the shape of things to come.

DWM 29/11/17