Quote: bren2k "For me, the boundaries need to be re-drawn; we used to boast that RL players showed total respect for the referee and proudly claimed it as a major point of difference between our game and football - that's now a totally false position, given that players are routinely arguing with and trying to influence the ref, are blatantly milking penalties by holding the tackler down and/or chucking themselves on the floor at the slightest touch in the ruck and, my pet hate, Head Coaches are going to the media after a game and criticising the ref/defending their starlets.
We're on a slippery slope and for me, this should be an absolute priority for the officials - call a meeting with all HC's, advise them that their will be a zero tolerance response to abuse of officials and blatant cheating, then police it with lethal force and unrelenting consistency from that day onwards, even if it is Sinfield or Tomkins; I guarantee that as soon as Coaches realise the gig is up, they'll stop coaching it into their players and within a few weeks, they'll clean up their collective acts.
Until that time, nigglers and cheats will continue to win the day and by extension, adversely influence young players and bring the game into disrepute.'"
spot on. sinbin for questioning the ref, with straight red for swearing at him. enforce it. if a player swears when they drop a ball, so be it, but if it's in anyway directed to an official, then time for the red card at all levels of the game too.
