“If you’re wondering where to find one word of support for Busby, wonder no more, there isn’t one.”
That was some of what this column wrote when the IRFU and the URC completely botched up the Mack Hansen TV diatribe directed at Chris Busby, and referees in general, just a year or so ago. That all ended badly, with Busby deciding to retire. A very good referee was lost to the game.
Hansen’s meagre suspension ensured that he’d be back for the opening of the Six Nations, in fine fettle and well rested, so the suspension did not send out a serious deterrent message. As a by-the-way, it was accompanied with a €10,000 suspended fine for Connacht – it’d be interesting to learn if it is now going to be collected. Maybe we’ll be told about the statute of limitations.
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Bundee Aki will now know that lessons have been learned from that very sad episode.
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His on-pitch dissent was bad enough. But the fact that he continued this on several occasions after the match was quite sufficient for the IRFU and URC to act without delay on receipt of referee Eoghan Cross’s report.
Headquarters withdrew Aki from Ireland’s training camp, and an independent judicial tribunal was set up post-haste. The judiciary handed down a six-match suspension, and applied no mitigation, due apparently to Aki not entering a plea, and to his previous bad form in this context. Aki still has the right to appeal.
However, very curiously, their lordships then put a hold on two of the matches, meaning the player will be available for round four of the Six Nations. Also included in the net four matches is Connacht’s match against Zebre this coming weekend, which, of course, Aki would not have been available for, as he’d have been in camp with the rest of the squad if none of this had happened. So, it really looks more like a three-match ban.
Now, the IRFU – who rightly are conducting their own investigation – do have the option of suspending the player for all of the Six Nations, and that would show everybody just how serious they are about referee abuse. They should step up to the mark.
Some would undoubtedly opine that such a sanction would be too severe, but don’t forget that England’s Dylan Hartley copped 11 weeks as a result of nasty verbal abuse to Wayne Barnes, who unhesitatingly red carded the player. As a result Hartley missed the 2013 Lions tour. It showed us that no player is bigger than the game. Incidentally, it resulted in a call-up for Ireland’s Rory Best.
While it is not by any means solely an Irish problem, the last couple of years have seen a ridiculous, appalling amount of questioning, shouting, screaming and gesticulating at match officials. Referees need to penalise this behaviour the first time it happens, rather than a no-sanction warning to the offender or the captain; it seems that Cross had earlier spoken to Connacht captain Cian Prendergast about Aki.
The penalty should also, if necessary, be accompanied by an appropriately coloured card. There are protocols for just about everything nowadays, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to design a system that would fit this problem. Zero tolerance is a must.
The time has now surely come to insist that the referee will only deal and communicate with the captain, unless, of course, the official himself wishes to talk to another player. It is also time to drop the absurd faux-friendship habit of calling players by their first name: “captain” or “skipper” would do nicely, with other players referenced by their number. Utilising first names blurs the line of respectful authority, which is an essential element for all match officials.
However, and this is perhaps the most important point: the way to call a halt to this unacceptable behaviour does not, cannot and must not rest solely in the hands of the referees and post-match tribunals. There is a key role for the coaches, captains and players themselves in altering what is a growing, unacceptable culture of verbal abuse towards match officials.
All participants need to get on board and understand the part they must play. If they don’t, it will all leak down into amateur and schools rugby – it is the old story about setting the right example. What is happening now is simply showing us all the worst side of professionalism.
World rugby, individual unions, provinces and the clubs are all needed to address this question. It’s not invisible, it’s happening right in front of us, and with a very worrying consistency too.
Match officials are an integral part of the game, good ones are like gold dust. Treating them with contempt will only ensure that intelligent, knowledgeable people will have no interest in the role. Failure to sort out this vital issue would see a totally different calibre of person taking up the job. Then, there’d really be something to shout about.
