Talking a good game

Planet Rugby has once again got a hold of the ref link transcript, this time for Saturday's international between England and Australia at Twickenham. New Zealand's Paddy O'Brien was the man in charge but he doesn't come close to his fellow countryman Paul Honiss - the man who refereed Ireland v England - for his amusing use of the vernacular. We only picked out two moments from the transcript, the first which explains what he said to Australian flanker Owen Finegan as he sent him to the sin bin, the second a rap on the knuckles for French touch judge Didier MΘnΘ.

O'Brien, take one: (13.14) "Come here. Hold the ball. Not that I'm keeping count. It's all going one way. Don't even go near him when he's up in the air like that. Off you go." O'Brien, take two: (41.07) "Whistle. Offside. Number? Number who (to touch judge) Give me a number Didier, who? What number? (to touch judge) All the back line. I asked for a number and it's all the back line. Didier, Didier (to touch judge) please try and give me a number next time. I know that, I know. But it would help. Thank you, though."

Meanwhile at Lansdowne Road, we had the Iain Ramage show. Rather fond of the whistle was the Scottish official. He spent most of the afternoon asserting his authority and threatening virtually everyone with the sin bin. At one stage he suggested to Samoan number eight George Stowers, following a borderline high tackle on Anthony Foley: "You're lucky he (Foley) ducked. You caught him on the margin. Keep it down."

When Mick Galwey claimed foul play at a ruck, Ramage offered: "It'll be on the video Mick, I didn't see it." It's fair to say that a full transcript of Ramage's outpourings would have required tens of pages of foolscap.