Does the fast-tracking of ex-players improve refereeing standards?
For many years football watchers have heard the same claim from their pundits: ‘If only we could fast-track ex-pros to the Premier League, refereeing standards would improve hugely.’
Funnily enough the queue of recently-retired multi-millionaires wanting to put themselves in the firing line has never been overly long, but in other sports – cricket being a prime example – where players’ earnings are lower and the working environment as a match official is perhaps not quite as hostile, this is a fairly well-trodden route.
Perhaps because of the complexity of its laws, rugby referees have traditionally mostly been former players. At local level many swap scrum cap for whistle in their 30’s before finding their level and continuing to enjoy a run around on a Saturday afternoon as 40 and 50-somethings.
And until relatively recently launching a refereeing career as an ex-player aged around 30 was no bar to making serious progress. Indeed, England’s two top whistlers of the last quarter-century – Chris White and Ed Morrison – both took this traditional route to the top.
But the advent of professionalism changed all that as full-time training saw the pace of the modern game, which is now also often played on pristine football grounds or artificial surfaces, change out of all recognition.
Refereeing is also now a professional career option – albeit only for a minority of top officials in each country. Along with concentrated recruitment efforts this has seen it become a much younger person’s occupation; attend the monthly meeting of a referees’ society and the average age of those present is now nearer 30 than 50.
Sticking with England as an example, the current generation of top whistlers mostly started very young and worked their way to the Premiership before the age of 30. From Wayne Barnes, Luke Pearce and Craig Maxwell-Keys to recently-retired JP Doyle this has become a common career path.
However, young referees have previously cut their teeth as even younger referees and with very little on-field playing experience or life experience in other work environments behind them, inevitably there will be some ‘learning curve’ issues while these young bucks climb the ladder.
Even the very best learn a few hard lessons on the way; Coventry supporters still talk about the day Pearce gave Moseley’s front row three penalty tries on their way to victory in a match which for many years was one of the most keenly-contested derbies around.
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The advent of full-time paid refereeing roles has allowed rugby to follow cricket in offering a career path to recently-retired players and it was interesting to see a number of ex-pros in whistling action during the Autumn International Series.
From Racing 92’s Nic Berry to Harlequins’ Karl Dickson and Glasgow’s Mike Adamson to Connacht’s Frank Murphy quite a few former players have been fast-tracked to the top of the refereeing ranks.
But – as the Match of the Day pundits are seemingly yet to appreciate – there are two sides to this, since being a really good rugby player provides an ex-pro with a leg-up into refereeing but is far from a guaranteed ticket to success.
If a former player is fast-tracked into the professional game, a couple of years later he should arrive in the Premiership or URC as an extremely fit referee with a good grasp of what professional players and coaches are trying to achieve. Since most are ex-backs, their understanding of the minutiae of front row play or lineouts may be less solid, but still they should overall be ahead of those from other walks of life.
Recent former professional athletes also look good on camera, which given the huge amounts of down-time spent speaking to the TMO while every lens is pointed directly at them, is (sadly) an important consideration to their bosses in our image-conscious world.
However, if the ex-pro’s career has taken him from school directly into a club’s academy before his playing days lead straight into officiating he clearly has no experience of life outside professional sport. He will therefore have picked up very few refereeing-relevant soft skills, including communication and people management, which come thick and fast in other walks of life such as teaching, business or retail.
Being able to talk to players, knowing what tone to adopt and when, how to control difficult situations and confrontation – including with angry coaches and support staff – is a hugely important part of being a successful referee. While this can be taught, there are few better options for fine-tuning these skills than time served either with the whistle or in a challenging work environment.
In addition, fast-tracking an ex-pro with under 100 games as a ref into the sport’s higher echelons means his Coventry v Moseley moment happens in full glare of the TV cameras. If there were moments during the autumn when these relatively new referees appeared less calm under pressure than Barnes or Jaco Peyper and seemed to need thinking time rather than reacting instinctively this lack of building block experience at the lower levels is why.
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In France there is no shortcut to the top for ex-pros. Referees all need a minimum of four years between taking up the whistle and working their way through the semi-pro game to the Top 14 and Pro D2. Given the notoriously physical nature of French club rugby, having under-developed management skills is not considered a risk worth taking.
The closest case is Maxime Chalon whose playing career began with Bordeaux but was mostly in French rugby’s second and third tiers from where he took up the whistle aged 29. Despite his playing background he was still required to work his way through the FFR’s structure meaning he began refereeing life in the amateur ranks and took five years to reach the Top 14.
The conundrum facing governing bodies around the world is the very practical one of return on investment. As the game gets every quicker, very few referees will match the likes of Nigel Owens or Ed Morrison and remain at the top of the sport in their late 40’s. If your entry point is north of 30, following a playing career, even a fast-tracked ex-pro has a fairly limited timespan in which to repay the investment in his training and salary.
To date Allain Rolland is the only ex-pro player to take charge of a World Cup final. Based on evidence currently available, career referees including the likes of Barnes, Peyper and Pearce, all of whom served their time in the game’s lower echelons, may well keep the former Ireland scrum half on this most exclusive of lists for at least the immediate future.
Comments on RugbyPass
Let’s make them both Capt. I think we'd get the best of both of them and it would help alleviate some of the pressures of the role. They'd have to confer over on field decisions which should lead to “ learnings “ for both. They are our two best consistent performers.
16 Go to commentsOur best player by far..but not a good Captain..poor tactician cost the AB'S and Canes games by not taking the easy points and going for tries when the lineouts were a shambles..can he read a game? And his throat slitting gesture should disqualify him from the AB Captaincy..it is not the appropriate behaviour of an AB Captain.
16 Go to commentsForget what was said or how many players said it. TONY BROWN IS THE NEW ATTACK COACH. That’s the only story worth freaking out over. The springboks are going to grow their game an awful lot over the next cycle and it’s not just the 19 disgustingly arrogant Irish players who refused to shake Ebens hand and said “see you in the final if you can cheat your way past France” who will find that out first hand.
121 Go to commentsOn one hand I think it's a bit ridiculous that this gar into the season and with only 2 wins the Crusaders may make the finals. On the other hand if it was only top 4 or 5, then that last several weeks may be mainly dead rubbers. Nope, 8th place after round robin shouldn't be able to lift the trophy.
1 Go to commentsI do think the media in NZ treated him badly. Sam is a legend. He is humble, a great rugby mind and leader. What happened in the final could happen to anyone. The margins is so fine these days. I lay blame at the feet of the coaching staff and NZ rugby. The stats tell’s all. The AB’s was the worst disciplined side in the WC with more red and yellow cards than anyone else. Problem is NZ rugby is not training their players to play safer. And thats the danger a fast game brings. More yellow and red cards. But Sam Cane in my eye was and still is a great ambassador for the game, that just had a stroke of bad luck.
5 Go to commentsI hope Jim and co. Add this to their list of icebreaker questions they can ask all their guests going forward. So we can eventually hear what everyone thinks about this subject. “What do you think Ireland meant…”
121 Go to commentsHe’s a dominant personality. That might be both a good and bad thing in team dynamics. Certainly it ruined Smith’s first crack at 10 with Owen at 12. BTW, Bristol flatter to deceive. When things really matter, they tend to deliver less rather than more. Farrell would have been good for them
36 Go to commentsGot a lot of over the top abuse from Crusader fans, in particular, who thought every 7 they had was miles better. Now we will see if anyone is better? Laid his body on the line every game so finishing early makes sense. A lot of life left after rugby.
5 Go to commentsA poor decision to appoint Carley as not only is Pearce a better referee but also importantly speaks French.
2 Go to commentsHe is 100 % on the mark. Malicious arrogance with a lack of respect for the other teams mostly the south. they must learn from True rugby nations like the Boks and Kiwis
121 Go to commentsThis Outiniqua boy has played sublime rugby and deserves a spot in BI LIONS team. Well played son
4 Go to commentsI don’t like to see players miss big matches but this ban looks to be tailored to allow him to compete in the final. In principle a suspension for a very dangerous tackle in a semi should warrant missing the relevant final. Done now. One the flip side having both teams with very strong squads/teams available for the final will add to the occassion hopefully.
1 Go to commentsTalent to burn and a huge engine..hope he gets a shot at higher honours
2 Go to commentsIf anything like his dad he has a bright future, Soane was the best ball carrying props ive ever seen using a combination of pace power and footwork.
1 Go to commentsThose who saw Sharks vs Clermont and Ox N'Che vs Rabah Slimani should have a good idea of the best scrumagers… May be not the best props…
2 Go to commentsIt's been an unusual era of unpopular, highly competitive, domineering, fairly big fly halves in the home nations with Farrell, Sexton and Biggar. Russell is different in personality and player I think. I'd rank Sexton first of the three because he is just as good a game controller but also has a great passing game. And his competitiveness never seems to cause problems with refs.
36 Go to commentsThank goodness he wasn't born in Scotland, he'd have been a great candidate for the Scottish Barbarians. I wouldn't put it past them to push for a “where the player was conceived” rule 😂
2 Go to commentsOwen Farrell is one of the most polarising figures in the game. His entire attitude on the field (and sometimes off of it) smacks of arrogance and he is about as brash as Donald Trump in a political debate. Yet behind that facade is a calculating, determined and powerful leader who drives any team forward with an Iron will. You are right in that he gets better in the heat of battle and in the face of overwhelming odds. He develops a narrow focus and he delivers his best in a way that few others can. He is one of Englands great performers who sacrificed alot for the team and who often bears the weight of responsibility of leadership alone on the field and in front of the media. Despite what many think of him he is a fantastic game manager with a good rugby brain. He will be sorely missed from the international stage
36 Go to commentsAlways proud of the effort, Sam. The All blacks never stop fighting, never just roll over. He didn’t get anywhere near the respect he earned, but that’s due to results, not commitment to the cause. Have fun dominating in Japan!
1 Go to commentsNot sure why Papali’i thinks Scott Robertson needs his help to select the next All Black Captain. In my view, Papali’i would be well advised to have a good hard look at his own game, and to reflect on how fortunate he is to even wear the black jersey. Rather than shouting at his team mates at every set piece, standing in the mid-field pointing and holding his arms out and flopping to the ground at the back of every second or third ruck, may I suggest he would be far better employed actually doing something on the field. Seriously, watch him for 10 minutes during a game - not much happens. When was the last time he was first to a breakdown, or actually made a turnover? If Robertson is half the Coach I think he is, Papali’i will not be anywhere near the AB’s this season.
16 Go to comments