*Did* have respect for the referee; that era is long gone.

These days, players have so little respect for the referee that some of them feel emboldened to physically assault him if they perceive him to be 'standing in the wrong place.' I predict that next week, Matt Parcell will drop the nut on James Child, for 'looking at him in a funny way.'

Sad times.

Although my favourite tale is one of player-power.

When Jim Mills was playing for Workington, the Widnes-based referee Mick Naughton was reffing the game in Workington and needed a lift, so Jim took him. The usual Jim Mills thuggery ensued, and when Mick Naughton summonsed him over. Jim Mills reportedly said, "If I walk, you walk." He stayed on the pitch.

Don't know if it's true, but I heard that one a long time ago.

I’m not sure on this one but if he is targeting the ref what the hell is he hoping to achieve from it, I find it all very odd indeed.

Indeed.
Contact was totally unnecessary and avoidable, hence the ban.
It's like a school bully type thing but, absolutely nothing to be gained from it.

You'd imagine that his interim coach and director of rugby wont be best pleased with their players actions.

Eric Clay!!
I used to have a season ticket on the ringside at Wigan. Boston had just run over the winger and fullback for his third or fourth try. As he was walking back Clay turned to Billy and said, "That's your last Billy, they've had enough"
There was about 10 minutes to go and every time the ball came out to Wigans right Clay blew for a forward pass, knock on, anything, what a character.

He’s not targeting the ref, as mentioned previously the 2nd one against London their was a good chance he could’ve caught the loose ball had he not collided with Child. Do you really think with the chance to collect the ball any player prioritises hitting the ref instead.

I would suggest that he wasn't going to get to the ball and saw a chance to "hit" the ref instead.
How many times do you need to look at the footage to see that the collision could and should have been avoided.

How many times have you seen players collide with the ref, both this season and previous years and Parcel has been "unlucky" 3 times this year.

He let himself and his team down, there is no defence..

Don't know about respect for the referee, Trinity, but you will recall the incident when, it was may be Billy Thompson, was reffing a match at Belle Vue and an incident occurred. The ref placed his hankie on the ground to mark the spot where play had stopped. When he turned his back Mick Morgan picked up the hankie and promptly blew his nose in it.

I wasn’t really asking you, I was after the opinions of people slightly less myopic.

As ever Printer my post like so many others goes right over your ultra defensive head!

The whole gist of my post was that it made no sense to suggest he was targeting the ref, for Christ sake man clam down and read between the lines

Haha, yeah we had a laugh at that!

I should have made it more clear ! - rugby players have repect for the referee compared to football players - most of the time anyway!

Yet again I have negative terms like “myopic” and “ultra defensive head” thrown at me for expressing a view. Funny how nothing gets done about it but if the shoe is on the other foot whether on here or the VT it’s a very different story.