"Irish rugby has a job on its hands to mend fences with referees from England. Last Saturday was the latest chapter in the ongoing saga, one that is doing no good for the Irish teams given the power dynamic of the relationship. This is not to suggest that there is any bias on the part of the RFU officials who are some of the best referees in the game"
"but get plenty of grief online from Irish fans. However, there has been a succession of incidents that portray a loss of patience with the conduct of Irish players in recent years."
Irish rugby needs to repair relations with referees from England after recent incidents have strained the relationship and harmed Irish teams given the refereeing power dynamic. There is no evidence of bias by RFU officials, who remain highly regarded referees, but they receive substantial criticism online from Irish fans. A pattern of episodes has emerged that suggests growing impatience with Irish players' conduct. That impatience risks influencing perceptions and decisions in important matches, making improved player behaviour and mutual respect essential to rebuilding trust and reducing tensions.
Read at Independent
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