By AAP
November 21st 2009 @ 2:17am
ARU jump to defence of under-fire Dickinson
The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) has leapt to the defence of referee Stuart Dickinson after his performance in New Zealand’s 20-6 win over Italy was slammed by IRB referees’ boss Paddy O’Brien.
New Zealander O’Brien criticised the Australian’s handling of the scrum during the All Blacks‘ dour victory over the Italians at the San Siro Stadium in Milan on Sunday.
He then later visited Graham Henry’s side after the game and apologised on behalf of the IRB for Dickinson’s performance.
In a statement released on Friday, the ARU expressed surprise at O’Brien’s comments and said the IRB practice is to avoid singling out referees and making public comment about their performances.
“Following the negative and very public review of Stuart Dickinson, we expect to see this transparent approach adopted on a consistent basis for all elite referees in the future,” the statement said.
“The ARU thinks that the criticism of Dickinson, the leading referee in Australia for a number of years, was lacking in balance.
“The analysis of scrums is an inexact science and the ARU is happy to discuss the findings of its own analysis with Mr O’Brien.”
Super 14 Tipping now live on The Roar. Join now.
Like this content? Buzz it up!
Free Email updates:
Our daily emails are only sent if there is content for the sport or that author. You can subscribe to multiple daily emails; or get the daily Roar email with all our content in it. We value privacy. More...
(10)
Cattledog said | November 21st 2009 @ 2:12pm | Report comment
And so they should have! It would appear the whole management procedure within the IRB leaves much to be desired and perhaps this will be the catalyst for them to clean up their act and start producing something of relevance to the rugby community as a whole rather than just attempting to appease the stuffed shirts in the NH.
Jerry said | November 21st 2009 @ 2:53pm | Report comment
While the IRB and Paddy have obviously got to look at their management practices, the ARU (and the NZRU for that matter) have got to look at what they can do to produce half decent refs. The current ANZAC crop is crap, with the Aussies struggling even more than Kiwi refs do. Dickenson is dreadful and Matt Goddard is ridiculous.
Cattledog said | November 21st 2009 @ 5:27pm | Report comment
Who would be a ref!! Is it any wonder they are struggling to get half decent refs, with every blog on every conceivable net ridiculing the performances, public vilifications and the like. Most Saturday afternoons you will find, generally the same mob, openly criticising and often abusing the guy, and sometimes girl, in white, who have given up their time to provide the teams with some semblance of control, often not at any great standard, but at least getting out there and doing it.
Until the general public wake up to themselves, the situation will not improve. I would bet my bottom dollar that the majority of bloggers on this and other social forums have never taken up the whistle at any real level (grade and above) so have no idea most of the time what they are talking about when they criticise from their armchairs or computer desks the standard of refereeing.
John allyne said | November 21st 2009 @ 5:12pm | Report comment
It just goes to show how far the leadership of the ARU has fallen , O`Neill has no communication with us the paying public, who in the ARU let Dan Vickerman, The High Performance unit is run by two Coaches who have a history of being sacked or Coaching Australia under 20s who seem in capable of winning anything , but wait ,these two Coaches fast forward these players to WALLABY SELECTION TO SAVE THEIR JOBS, The juniors are selected to early and then put in cotton wool, they are along with The ARU administration then join the very high profile CLUB called THE PROTECTED SPECIES where membership can only be gained by having a CV of non achievments. The referring is in this country is the same standard as the game. BORING
ohtani's jacket said | November 21st 2009 @ 6:34pm | Report comment
ARU scrum analysis must be hilarious.
Cattledog said | November 21st 2009 @ 7:04pm | Report comment
Your inane comment can only be conscrued to mean that PO’Bs analysis was correct and the ARU don’t have a clue. Accept that what PO’B did was wrong, he has and so have the IRB, and move on.
Jerry said | November 21st 2009 @ 7:55pm | Report comment
What he did may have been wrong, but that doesn’t mean what he said was wrong.
Cattledog said | November 21st 2009 @ 8:25pm | Report comment
It also doesn’t mean what he said was right!
Jerry said | November 22nd 2009 @ 7:43pm | Report comment
He was though.
ohtani's jacket said | November 21st 2009 @ 11:48pm | Report comment
Since when did the ARU have a clue?