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| Favourite and Least Favourite International Rugby Union Referees | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Tuesday, 10. January 2012, 22:58 (4,848 Views) | |
| Jim Carr Fan Club | Tuesday, 10. January 2012, 22:58 Post #1 |
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With a view to removing the strange article on county parks from the main board, I thought I would post a list of my favourite (I would not claim to be remotely qualified to judge best) and least favourite officials from each country, drawn up following an exchange of reminiscences with Hendo during the RWC. Argentina: Favourite : Pablo Da Luca - the only one I remember, so no least favourite. Australia: Favourite: Peter Marshall. Kerry Fitzgerald was probably the best, but having been appointed to the RWC Final ahead of some of my all-time favourites (see below), he does not qualify. Least favourite: Andrew Cole just shades out Wayne Erikson. England; Favourite; Fred Howard, closely followed by Tony Spreadbury - despite two very different approaches, but both excellent referees. Least favourite: G.C. Lamb. Seemed to represent everything that a young Rugby League fan disliked about Union in those days. France: Favourite: Jacques St-Guilhem. At FIRA international level, I would also include the smiling André Peytavin and Daniel Neyrat. How the latter never got to do the French Final I cannot understand. Least Favourite: Alain Ceccon - an idle-looking referee, whose rapid rise to the top was inexplicable. Ireland: Favourite: From a good bunch, David Burnett, followed by Alain Rolland. Least Favourite: Donal Courtney New Zealand: Favourite: David Bishop Least Favourite: Paddy O'Brien - had a glowing reputation, but I never understood the hype. Scotland: Favourite: Again from a good selection, Allan Hosie, followed by Bob Burrell. Least Favourite: Jake Young South Africa: Favourite: Craig Joubert Least Favourite: Cas de Bruyn Wales: Favourite: Ron Lewis. I seem to recall that he refereed in a sweater most of the time. Least Favourite: Clive Norling - an excellent referee, but appeared rather too bumptious for my liking. All very subjective, of course. Anybody got their own suggestions? |
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| locoman | Wednesday, 11. January 2012, 16:34 Post #2 |
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thats one heck of a list.thinking about RU refs,the finest i can remember seeing was Gwyn Walters of Wales and im going back a very long way but he was superb. |
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| Jim Carr Fan Club | Wednesday, 11. January 2012, 18:23 Post #3 |
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That's a very good shout, locoman. D. G. Walters was certainly highly regarded in the days when international appointments were by invitation. I seem to remember him rather vaguely as a small, energetic chap, but as the last boy in my class at school not to have a TV at home (cue violins and pass the tissues) my memory of him is not clear enough to list him as a favourite. By that stage, though he was still active, internationals went largely (or so it seemed) to either Meirion Joseph or Kevin Kelleher. |
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| Hendo | Saturday, 14. January 2012, 17:47 Post #4 |
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Excellent, another chance for nostalgia so here we go Argentina - yes agree with Deluca. He seems to be one of the very few refs outside the main nations to have broken through (even the Italians are struggling and as for the Scots....) Recall he once did a Calcutta Cup game and very well too. Believe he retired slightly early due to business commitments Australia - Fitzgerald, after a shakiy start, turned into a class act and died all too tragically young at 43. Marshall too was a bit underrated. England - Alan Welsby had a short but effective international career; very tall and authorotative, stood no nonsense. I also felt Colin High was underrated and, despite criticism from those in Wales especailly, Roger Quittendon was a very good ref. You mention "Larry" Lamb and in the same vein was R.F. (Johnny) Johnson, again a forces man (army I think) who reffed very much like Lamb (and with some of the beadiest eyes ever!) France - I loved Francis Palmade, a big Gallic man who stood no nonsense and often reffed in all blue with a button up shirt. Georges Domercq of course was for many years France's top ref (Barbarians v All Blacks 1973 "Gareth Edwards......WHAT A SCORE!"). Didier Mene IMHO was vastly overrated and the likes of Marc Desclaux, Yves Bressy and Andre Cluny only did 1 international Ireland - felt in the 70s and 80s Ireland had some top quality refs like Kevin Kelleher, John West, Stephen Hilditch and David Burnett. Owen Doyle, now Ireland's refereeing supremo, was my favourite - very much a sympathetic, Halsey style but very well respected. Also liked Dave McHugh New Zealand - my favourite was Colin Hawke; excellent cop turned ref. Scotland - agree, Allan Hosie. Wrongly IMHO in Norman Sansom's shadow for too long. Also liked Brian Anderson South Africa - not sure. Was Andre Watson so good that he deserved 2 WC finals? Wales - Les Peard was good but I felt that Nigel Williams, if he hadnt retired so early, would have gone on to greater things. Meirion Joseph, who also seemed to ref in some sort of jumper (purple too!) was good and Derek Bevan who reffed the |
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| Hendo | Saturday, 14. January 2012, 17:50 Post #5 |
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PRESSed SEND TOO SOON. Let me finish ...............the WC Final in 1991. Nigel Whitehouse was poor IMH Going back to English refs, I omitted Ed Morrison and as regards the Irish I rate Alain Rolland as probably my favourite ref still operating at the highest level Thanks Jim Carr for the chance for such a nostalgic moment! |
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1:13 AM Jul 11