also human — Peyper

“I don’t know too many jobs that do that,” said Peyper who fondly talks about how the referees frequent exclusive and extraordinary places.

“You don’t get into l’Opéra (Palais Garnier) unless you’re a dignitary. I once met the Queen, at Buckingham Palace. These are the things that should be out there, not just the threats and mistakes.”

World Rugby, in fact, is in the process of partially lifting the veil.

This week they announced the February 1 release of Whistleblowers, a documentary that provides a behind the scenes look at the lives and the experiences of match officials at the RWC.

Though Peyper, whose 67 Tests place him sixth overall and third on the SA list, is a much decorated referee who has handled nine big finals, he has a few regrets.

Blew his chances

While injury in the quarterfinal between

England and Fiji effectively ruled him out of last year’s RWC, four years earlier, obliging fans by posing for a photo cost him dearly.

A photo of Peyper playfully lifting his elbow near the face of a Wales fan did the rounds on social media after Wales defeated France in Oita. Typhoon Hagibis had breezed through Japan a day or so earlier but Peyper soon had a storm he could not outrun.

With France leading 19-10 French lock Sebastien Vahaamahina elbowed Aaron Wainwright in the 49th minute of the match for which Peyper rightly produced a red card which served to alter the course of the match.

Peyper and other match officials were passing through the fan village afterwards when they were asked to pose for pictures. “We posed for more than 30 photos, and when I thought all the photos were taken I lifted my elbow at the guy who was doing it to me, and that is the photo the world saw,” he recalls.

Though he was an assistant referee in the play-off for bronze, Peyper’s actions counted against him. “It was a silly moment, can I blame anybody else? What do I have to learn from that? I have to control that environment.”

Having travelled the world since 2008, he is now happy to drop anchor. Says Peyper: “My daughters need their dad.”

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