Two referees in future?
March 14, 2001

Prominent rugby official Tim Gresson on Wednesday said the increasing complexity of the sport could raise the need for matches to be controlled by two referees.

Gresson, the International Rugby Board's (IRB) referees' committee chairman and a New Zealand Rugby Football Union board member, emphasised this was his personal view only and that he had not discussed it with the national union or the IRB.

"The reasoning behind the thought is because the game is getting increasingly complex," said Gresson.

A former representative referee, Gresson said that due to sophisticated coaching he wondered whether controlling 30 players was too much for one referee on the field. He said his thinking was not brought about just because of the difficulties with the tackled ball rule.

The first three rounds of this year's Super 12 have sparked much debate on rugby laws, consistency of referees and the general shape of the game.

Gresson said he had great concerns about the current shape of the game and a major challenge was to ensure rugby regained its unique characteristics, especially those of rucking and mauling. "It (the game) is getting more complex. I just wonder whether one pair of eyes can referee all aspects of rugby.

"Whatever the combination is, I don't know," he said in reference to how two referees would control the match. "It would have to be very carefully debated at the appropriate levels."

Gresson said he did not intend raising the issue at those levels immediately because it could confuse things further. "I want to see how things settle down now before we even consider this," he said. - Sapa

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