‘Fearless’ Fred warns dissent will wreck game

WORLD Rugby are being urged to take a tougher stand against dissenting players who threaten to drag the game down the same road as football.

The plea comes from a former referee renowned for his readiness to impose law and order during the last years of the amateur era.

‘Fearless’ Fred Howard is now back in the game coaching referees for the RFU.

Howard, who sent four players off during a 20-Test career spanning the first two World Cups, tells The

Rugby Paper: “Dissent is definitely becoming more widespread.

“It has been creeping into the game over the last few years and tough action is required to stamp it out.

“If not, then the game will get more and more like soccer from top to bottom.

“Rugby needs to be on its guard. It needs to recognise that the old core values of respect for the referee and fair play are being threatened.

“Certainly at the higher levels I am seeing more examples of players challenging referees’ decisions. It has to be dealt with more strongly than it is.

“The RFU has attempted to tackle this issue but it’s got to come from the very top, from World Rugby.

“It would never have happened in my day but it’s happening now and it’s

happening far too often.

“As for players asking the referee to give yellow cards to opposing players, that can be easily stopped: a penalty for the first offence and a yellow card if they persist. That will soon shut them up. Anyone speaking aggressively to the referee should be dealt with. They have to be left in no doubt that such behaviour will not be tolerated. The game has to stamp this sort of thing out before it’s too late.’’

The issue has been brought into sharp focus by several high-profile incidents in recent months, notably Australia coach Michael Cheika’s rant about New Zealand referee Ben O’Keefe at Twickenham last November and Ma’a Nonu harassing Wayne Barnes during the Scarlets-Toulon Champions’ Cup tie in January.

When the former All Black asked Barnes to send an opponent to the bin, the English referee told him: “You come and ask for a yellow card and you will get one. Understand?’’

England captain Owen Farrell has been criticised for a hectoring attitude to referees.

“It’s clear as day, mate,’’ he shouted at O’Keefe before the Kiwi referee disallowed an Australian try for obstruction last autumn.