Is rugby now a hooligans' game played by hooligans?

League tried that Banana Bob and it still has endless complaints about reffing decisions. Ergo, dumbing down rugby won't change things.

So David Lords would like rugby to sink to the sad depths of Football? I've seen how they treat their ref's, so, no thanks.

They already have at least four.

But if we dumb it down then the intellectually challenged will follow it. Too simplistic. We still need a good old bash and charge session that makes our brains work overtime. We want to develop and expand the ability to think accurately under pressure and not just be doing what we were told to do by someone else with only 2 (or fewer) IQ points advantage. We think universities are a good thing, know reading is a prerequisite for a full and meaningful life, want to have the top job because we can help this company/regiment/organisation work better. And we are not alone after all, we have our Rugby memories and the lessons they taught us which enriched our lives and provided access to a brotherhood which can help us with any hurdles life presents. Rugby is not mere entertainment, it is one of the defining features of our lives, so no thanks, I won't bother with the SoO, in fact I haven't for more than 20 years. Sacrilege? Nah, common sense for some.

Thats poor form old chap ,who was the hooligan who put that picture in , a grubby rugby leaguer I bet!, dam hooligan!!!

I took the ref's course with the Western Province Rugby Union a few years back but never whistled a game after I was warned that I would probably cop some serious abuse in some of the areas where I would be expected to officiate. I decided to drop the idea...there's no point in me dedicating so much of my free time under those circumstances. When I was in High school, the Jake White coached Jeppe High 1st XV played my school KES in their centenary game. James Dalton was suspended for involving himself with a fight in the lead up to the game. Jeppe's school boys decided to go on strike in support of Dalton and staged a sit-in on the fields. Jeppe lost.

Sorry to disappoint you old chap..... But it wasn't my picture!

Sorry Gary, too many have a negative impact on the game. To be fair it's made difficult by poor law making, but we spectators need to know what the interpretations will be just as the players do and we have a right to expect impartiality and consistency

Right on Phill! Amateurism extols the sanctity of the volunteer ref who gives his time so others benefit. They're to be respected. Professional refs of top level rugby should Not be above criticism

I still use it. People are very impressed.

Two many laws and complexities, too many penalties. Reduce the Rules Take a few players off Allow the biff and let it rip Wait a minute....that's called....State of Origin

Yes Wal. Kinda sorta like saying that David Campese went to Italy for the pasta!

Refs do a fine job in general, a decision made by a ref in rugby can be interpreted in more than one way. I can sit on the sideline and say I saw him come from the side my mate will sit with me and can't see anything wrong and my other mate can say he went in straight. This is just at a ruck that happens 100+ times in a match and at speed. If the ref gets 98% right and a couple wrong we only look at the couple wrong. I have reffed at schoolboy level and lower senior level at training runs and got it wrong a fair bit less than 98% of the time. I can voice my view and that is my opinion but I'm only seeing it perhaps from 50 + metres away, the ref is right there so how do I know better than him. With that said if a ref has a poor performance he should be told so by his peers if he is not criticised he will not improve. Professional refs should be held accountable for their performance like everyone else is. Amateur refs should be held accountable so that they are able to improve. However I do not any any time think that refs be abused verbally or physically abused, they are not referred to as SIR for nothing. they are to be respected as the official that controls the game. Refs do a fine job and are absolutely necessary to our game without them we would not play the game.

Codswallop was the stuffing used in a man's cod piece.

Those of us that live in areas dominated by AFL know that the way Rugby Refs are treated by the vast majority of those involved in the sport is really very, very good. in AFL abuse of the umpires is almost a ritual part of the game as is tribal hatred of "them over there". I'd hate to see our game descend to that. That does not mean that Refs decisions cannot be questioned by the captain on field and analysed by everyone off field. As long as it is done in a civilised and respectful manner that is fine by me.

I am a huge supporter of Refrees and without them at all levels that game simply wouldn't exist I had heard this quote as well, can't recall who from now but the version was during the amateur era after yet another AB had been poached by the ARL. And was "Rugby is an amateur game played by professionals and Rugby League was a professional game played by amatuers"

As with much of the professional game their salaries are a much guarded secret, but the provincial referees in SA all give up their day jobs, so I suspect the money aint half bad. ;)

Now an interesting juxtaposition between this article and David Lords which basically states that players should be entitled to call refereeing decisions stupid in public and finishing with "So stop protecting referees SANZAR, train them better, or find someone who can. Refs are important to the game, and deserve to be respected. When they earn it." An interesting twist of the same message? My very young daughters both play netball and their refs are slightly older girls. It disgusts me when I see parents hollering at these poor girls about particular calls. At the professional level it seems it's ok for the crowd to holler a continual stream of abuse at referees from the sidelines. And I must admit I've been one to do this in the past. But we've got to draw the line somewhere. It's a hell of a job at ANY level and my hat goes off to all referees.

There were four of them !!!

It is a "class thing by merely saying “rugby union is a hooligans’ game played by gentlemen" espouses RU players are above the rest . That saying has been in RU since day one from the upper class. I can assure you RU players from amateur level to pro have flouted the rules then and now with coaches happily condoning "ungentlemanly" behaviour at any level including under 7 year olds game, that even shocked me but ..............and that's no codswallop. He shouldn't have used that pic , should of used an amateur pic.