Action on referees very welcome

Not the least of the very many unsatisfactory elements surrounding the semi-final of the European Cup last season between Munster and Stade Francais in Lille was the lack of a video referee. Touch judge Steve Lander made a wrong call on the try scored by Munster wing John O'Neill. That allied to the absence of a video referee cost Munster the match. What happened in Lille was a telling lesson for European Rugby Cup (ERC) and very costly one for Munster, who tomorrow are back on the European trail again i

I will return to that.

A few weeks before the Lille incident, Lander also made a wrong call that cost Harlequins the English Cup. What action was taken against Lander despite those incidents? None. It caused quite a lot of controversy at the time, especially after Lander was subsequently appointed to officiate at internationals during the summer.

It seems that now, however, rugby authorities are prepared to act when referees are seen to make decisions that are patently incorrect and when they fail to take the proper action. Last March during the Six Nations match between Ireland and Italy the Italy prop Salvatore Perugini head-butted Peter Stringer.

After consultation between the referee Rob Dickson and touch judge Joel Dume, Perugini was given only a yellow card. It was an astonishing decision and one received with derision by the crowd. It was a cop-out if ever there was one.

However the match commissioner cited Perugini and he received a 20-week ban. That in itself was a serious indictment of Dickson and Dume and the action they took, or rather failed to take.

Now comes further sanction for both Dickson and Dume, who have been removed from the panel of officials for the internationals this summer, in effect a dismissal from the international panel until at least next September. That decision is most certainly justified and will do much to make it clear to officials that they must act properly and efficiently. If not then they must endure the consequences. It is and must be seen to be a very important issue in the administration of the game, just as discipline and proper behaviour must be for the players.

Let us bear in mind, too, that international referees are now paid officials. Another official removed from the panel is Scotland's Ian Ramage, a man who has come in for criticism this season. No reason has been given publicly by the International Rugby Board (IRB) for the decisions. But we can certainly make an educated guess as far as Dickson and Dume are concerned.

In contrast to the departures of Dickson and Dume, the promotion of Irish referee Donal Courtney to the international panel is very welcome and reward for a very honest official who has worked extremely hard. He joins three other Irish referees on the international scene, Alan Lewis, Dave McHugh and Alain Rolland. All face a busy summer.

Four Irish referees on the international scene is certainly a telling commentary on the work being done in this area and reflects very well on Owen Doyle, Director of Referee Development at Lansdowne Road.

THE fact that Munster must play Castres in Beziers tomorrow in the semi-final of the Heineken Cup most certainly does not reflect equally well on ERC.

What has preceded this match off the field will add to Munster's determination. They travel to Beziers fully aware that they have been stitched up by the French in relation to the venue. ERC allowed Castres to get their way. Some of the statements that came from ERC in aftermath of the announcement of the venue singularly failed to impress the Munster officials, players and supporters. That injustice will sharpen Munster's resolve and is one of several issues central to this match.

But however great the inconvenience and the expense for the Munster supporters, and there are none better in the game, they will be in Beziers tomorrow in their thousands. They will get there by diverse means, but they will get there. But we must hope earnestly that the the lessons of Lille last year will have been absorbed and that we will not have a repetition of the chaos that obtained there in so many respects. The ERC assure us this will not be the case, let us hope their assurances come to fruition.

This time there will be a video referee in place and for that, at least, let us be grateful, as it is a step forward. Brian Campsall of England will be the man in charge of the video. Brian Stirling, of Ireland, will perform a similar function on Sunday at the semi-final between Leicester and Llanelli.

Quite apart from the annoyance about the venue and the manner in which it was decided and announced, a French venue will not hold any fears for Munster. Their record in France is excellent. They beat Castres on their own ground last season, they beat Toulouse in Bordeaux in that never-to-be-forgotten semi-final two years ago. Then, in January, they travelled to Paris and scored a truly great win over Stade Francais in the quarter-final.

For three successive seasons this Munster side had been drawn away to French opposition at the semi-final stage. If a team deserve the breaks tomorrow it is Munster. This is the fourth successive season the province has reached the knock-out stages and only Toulouse can match that achievement. It is Munster's third successive semi-final, and only Toulouse can match that too.

The fact that coach Declan Kidney and his assistant Niall O'Donovan will be leaving the Munster scene at the end of the competition will be yet another incentive for the players to send them on their way in the best possible manner, with a victory tomorrow and another in the final. And of course, Peter Clohessy will be bidding farewell too at the end of the season.

But whatever fate awaits Munster tomorrow, they have rendered Irish rugby tremendous service and given us some great days and memories. A win tomorrow would add further lustre to their splendid achievements and bring the ultimate prize a step closer.