January 4th, 2013 
Alan Deegan The club game has taken me away from Connacht home games this season meaning my visits to the Sportsground have been dramatically reduced.
While I enjoy my role in the club right now and took it knowing this would have some impact on my ability to attend my province’s games, that doesn’t take away from the fact that I’m missing the banter on the Clan terrace.
The Clan Terrace has become a huge asset to the Connacht cause and at this stage the home advantage that we get from this is greater than it ever was and up to the standards of many of the top clubs around Europe in its own unique way.
Of course, our home record remains weaker than it should be with some key games having slipped past us, like, for example Edinburgh, Cardiff and Munster this season but I’m in no doubt that more key 50/50 decisions are flowing our way than have done so in the past.
However, I was in the Clan stand for first time in two and half months for the Munster game, and I have to say, I was extremely disappointed with the amount of booing of the referee received as he left the field after the final whistle.
In my view, this has no place in rugby.
Earlier in the game I had been greatly encouraged to see the crowd collectively admonishing a few young supporters who were jeering the opposition kicker.
So why the double standards? Why collectively as a group agree that booing kickers is wrong yet appear to accept that kind of treatment of a referee after the game?
Don’t get me wrong, I shout at referees during games to try and influences their decision making like anyone else.
The players show respect for the referees authority on the field and when the game is over the fans should back that up.
Respect for the referee is the element of the game that the other sports admire most about rugby.
As fans we need to makes sure we uphold that respect in Connacht.
Alan Deegan is a regular contributor to KnockOn.ie and a Connacht rugby support
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You should hear the abuse gaa refs get,on and off the field, thought ref in Munster game did an ok job
Yeah the GAA lads take some grief, but I can never get over the attitude towards the soccer refs. The Premier league in England, one of the world’s best leagues; referees are crowded out, badgered, shouted at and treated with very little respect on a regular basis. The FA seems uninterested in defending their officials as evident in Alex Fergusons recent behaviour towards a highly rated ref.
The IRFU take a much harder line in fairness and the referee has a much better support sturcture than some sports offer.
Sport should always bring out the passionate in people, and sometimes that “passion” is targeted at the ref, it’s part of the game; the referee, like the players is an element of the game.
I’d rather have a few muppets in a crowd of 4000 shouting at the ref than 1 muppet in a crowd of 300, which wans’t too long ago. Maybe it’s a measure of provincial development !
Alan’s point from within the piece he has written eluding to the fact that, respect for rugby referees is one of the endearing qualities of the sport of rugby union is a well founded point.
Like most attitudes, the attitude of respect for the referee on the rugby pitch stems from the philosophy of the game and those that play and coach within the game. A philosophy of fairness, good conduct, spirit and respect.
For anyone interested in the sport may wish to read the IRB playing charter (found here: http://www.irb.com/aboutirb/organisation/index.html).
I’d like to share a story. Just before Christmas I refereed a youths game in DLSP, this was my third time to ref a game at this club in nearly a month and the first thing that struck me was the effort they had gone to, as a club, to highlight the importance to them to respect the referee. There were at least two large print signs on the outside of the club house stating “Respect the referee” and in the changing room corridor a club written charter outlining what the consequences were for those (both supporter and player and club official) who should grossly show disrespect to a visiting referee.
Anyway, back to the story. The game was in the second half and play was moving from left to right, as I watched the ball move across the field I heard “C’mon ref, offside!” from the sideline. I ignored the comment and played on. The game continued and the move ended in a try for the home team. As the touch judge ran over to his position behind the posts he ran via me and as he passed me he slowed down and apologised about shouting at me a few moments earlier. For, it was he who shouted about the phantom offside. I smiled and shook my head and said to him not to worry and to carry on. (BTW he was a club member, not an official touch judge in case you are wondering). At the end of the game, he again apologised for his minor outburst. I was highly impressed by this, because in my opinion what he said hardly registered with me, on a list of comments I’ve heard from the sidelines while reffing, this ranked practically near the bottom.
The point I want to make and a point Joe makes above is, the game of rugby is a game for everyone and the referee, like the players, coaches and supporters are elements of the game. The reason I referee is because it gives me the opportunity to be in the middle of the action, to see up close the skills and efforts of the players and that is a joy. 99 times out of 100 I don’t hear what people are shouting on the sideline, I’ve a job to do and it takes all my concentration.
I would never condone booing en masse at an official or player or coach. Refs at Pro12 level are top, top officials. The booing by some Connacht supporters, while it may have been directed at the officials was really down to the fact that their team lost. There has to be a winner and a loser, if the next time out their team loses again with a different set of officials, who should they boo? In truth, no one.
Great article Alan, and comments are well founded too lads. I also referee at a reasonably high standard. However, I have to agree that our sport is heading in a bad direction in this regard. I dont mind comments as described by Pauli coming from supporters. They are only part of any sport,and harmless. However, I have noticed a significant increase in the amount of more direct verbal and physical abuse of referees and officials in the domestic game in recent seasons (not all my games by the way!!!!). Often times the biggest culprits are youth coaches and of course parents. These are the very people supposed to be setting an example.
Any referee has no issue is chating to a coach/alickadoo after a game to discuss certain aspects/calls made, once it is done in an appropriate manner. Indeed, referees can learn a lot from this and improve their own game. However, the opposite works too, and if you get abuse in a certain club or from a certain team/coach, it can negatively affect your relationship in the future
I think the IRFU and branch disciplinary committees need to take a much tougher stance on offenders, as more often than not, little or nothing is done, and that can only be bad for the game. We are all volunteers at this level and like it or not, matches can not go ahead without officials.