Rugby referees are
● Humanising match officials, instead of confining them to the shadows may curb abuse of them, argues retiring referee Jaco Peyper.
Peyper, who last week blew time on his career as a result of nagging injuries as well as family and business obligations, believes it’s time to present referees in a better light.
“I think referees can be sold to the world better. If they send us out into the world so that people can get to know us, there will be a different perception,” he says.
Rugby has long kept match officials under a protective cloak.
They are prohibited from making public statements following Test matches, while post-match communication between competing teams and World Rugby’s refereeing department is not for general consumption.
Peyper argues getting rid of the perception that they are a protected species may help demystify the world of match officials. “That is the problem with rugby,” says Peyper.
“Everyone wants to blame someone when they lose. One misstep or a step out of context and they get blamed. That’s why referees are media shy.”
The proliferation of social media platforms has increased the pressure. Such was the vitriol aimed at match officials at the last Rugby World Cup, World Rugby instituted measures that seek to unmask those guilty of online hate speech.
Tell the good stories
“At the moment, they are struggling to attract new people because of the negative environment. I think referees can be sold to the world better. We have to start telling the good stories, not just where people are threatened,” says Peyper, who reckons he has flown in Business Class to Australia and New Zealand more than 100 times.