Rugby ref Owens: Respect in football has to start at the top
Leading rugby union referee Nigel Owens feels a shift in attitude is required in football to ensure greater respect is shown to officials.
Owens – widely regarded as rugby’s premier law-enforcer – is involved in Tissot’s #RespectTheRef campaign, intended to highlight the importance of mutual courtesy being shown on the field.
The Welshman insists rugby “cannot take the moral high ground” over football, but highlighted the touchline conduct of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp during his side’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Anfield on January 31, and the reaction it provoked, as a point of concern.
After goalkeeper Simon Mignolet had saved a penalty from Diego Costa, Klopp shouted in the face of fourth official Neil Swarbrick – an incident for which he subsequently apologised.
Owens told Omnisport: “What hope have you got of telling the kids in school or telling the kids through the [Football Association’s] Respect campaign to respect people, when they’re looking at a manager ranting at the fourth official?
“I think commentators can take responsibility as well. I was watching Match of the Day and it was the Liverpool-Chelsea game where Klopp was shouting at the fourth official, right in his face after the penalty.
“The camera panned in on him really shouting into the fourth official’s face, totally unacceptable behaviour, and then the commentator said: ‘Tensions are high, that’s understandable’.
“And I thought, well, it’s not understandable. What the commentator should have said is: ‘Tensions may be high, but that behaviour is something we don’t condone and that’s unacceptable – there should be a sign of respect’.
“That, to me, sums it all up. If they want to change attitudes [in football] then that’s where it needs to start, at the top end of the game.”
Owens continued: “There are a lot of things that rugby can learn from football and there are a lot of things that rugby can do better and needs to do better. There’s much more thuggery in rugby than there is in football. Thankfully, those incidents are now few and far between, but this type of behaviour does happen in rugby still and that’s why I say rugby can’t take the moral high ground.
“But I think even the most ardent football supporter would agree that one thing rugby does lead the way on is its inclusiveness to all in the sport and its respect.
“The FA is doing a lot of good work in schools, with the Respect campaign and things like this, but unless they start it right at the top, so the young people looking up to their heroes see that they behave in a respectful way on the field, then it’s not going to have the effect it would otherwise.
“Football has more influence on people in everyday life than any other sport in the world and with that comes a responsibility for everybody involved in the sport at the top end of the game. If they really want to make a mark on respect, they’ve got to start at the top of the game and with a zero-tolerance approach.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Why cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to comments