Affair raises serious questions for URC and IRFU, and is unlikely to do much for recruitment and retention of referees
Referee Chris Busby, with Leinster's Luke McGrath and Connacht's Cian Prendergast during the Leinster vs Connacht tie at the Aviva Stadium on December 21st. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho. These are my words, my opinion, and it shouldn’t be construed that I am writing on his behalf. I’m not.That issue has been botched from first to last. The player publicly castigated the performance of Busby and implied thatwere playing against 16 men.
The IRFU could, of course, decide to restore faith in rugby’s values by adding a match or two on to Hansen’s suspension. The union is, rightly, extremely hot on these issues, particularly those of respect and integrity, so silence now is anything but golden. In every walk of life values are much, much more than decorative badges of convenience, to be worn only when it suits.
Connacht’s Mack Hansen and Caolin Blade after the controversial game at the Aviva. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho The social media comments, emanating from low-lifes, directed at Busby have been so utterly vile that it’s impossible for match officials to be immune, to ignore them. Their families, too, cannot be expected to be anything less than horrified. Partners, parents, kids – all suffer at the hands of these nameless cowards.
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