adminPARIS. — The stark difference between the on-field behaviour of rugby players and their footballing counterparts towards match officials is mutual respect, 2007 World Cup final referee Alain Rolland said.
Nowhere could this be more vividly highlighted than in two incidents in each sport – Rolland’s sensational sending-off of Wales captain Sam Warburton in the 2011 World Cup semi-final against France, and a penalty awarded by Andy D’Urso for Middlesbrough in their English Premiership match with Manchester United in 2000.
The latter produced images that remain ingrained in people’s memories of captain Roy Keane and several of his teammates pursuing D’Urso and surrounding him on the touchline with the fiery Irishman screaming in his face.
Despite the negative headlines, D’Urso didn’t see fit to include the incident in his match report, although he admitted to the Daily Mirror he had kept backing away because “If I had stood my ground I would have been pushed over.”
Despite Rolland’s decision having far more serious repercussions, a World Cup final place was at stake to the winners, there were no such histrionics or threatening behaviour.
“There wasn’t a word out of one player,” said Rolland.
The 49-year-old France-born Irishman – who had been a top class scrum-half earning three caps before becoming one of the most pre-eminent referees in the professional era – said rugby officials will not stand for any form of dissent, unlike football referees. — AFP.
Online Reporter