High-hit pardons could see referees next in the dock

HAVING attended the Gloucester v Saracens game last Friday I have to say that when will enough poor referee decisions be enough!

We have an ex England hooker, Steve Thompson, taking legal action due to the poor protection he had during his playing career which has led to his diagnosis of dementia. Last week at Kingsholm we had the current England hooker, Jamie George, committing a reckless tackle that deserved a red card without doubt being given a yellow card and smirking as he sat out his ten minutes!

I think that the next law suit could be against the referees society as to these eyes they are the reckless party here. Maybe if the players sued the refs for the decisions made – as per the decision on Friday night – they might think twice about allowing that sort of cheap head shot.

At the end of the season Tony Spreadbury will step down as the head of the referees society and he will be patted on the back as the old boys act will proclaim his excellent guidance has pushed the society forward.

We still have the issue of not straight in the lineout, hookers now stand on the pitch to throw the ball in, not straight put in at the scrum, the breakdown is a lottery and as stated before, the cheapshot merchants get away with yellow cards under weak referees.

Bill Clee

GLOUCESTER wing Olly Thorley was shown a yellow for little more than a seat belt tackle. Jamie George got his for smacking Jordie Reid in the chops with his shoulder.

I fail to see why the referee tried so very hard to find every mitigating excuse going to help George. He stood his ground, led with the shoulder, and wallop.

Sometimes it is black and white. Stop looking for excuses refs, and just trust yourselves that you’ve actually seen the blindingly obvious.

Marlon Zoglowek