Did pre match chat as normal today. Spoke to the captains and we agreed we would work together as a three to keep the discipline. From the outset cries of "he's got his hands on ref" and "knock on ref". I try and lid it. Call blue captain over and explain the behaviours needs to change as I don't want another 70 minutes of this. Things are quiet for a while. Another bit of back chat, penalty, then brought on ten yards as the miscreant gobs off again.
5 minutes later after a lineout,the blue prop says to my back "how straight does it have to be then ref?" I give a penalty and yellow card for dissent (not going through the captain ).
Got a bit of a reaction at the time, seems now to be over the top, but a question how do we control such situations? I had asked, told, penalised and was concerned we were going to have an afternoon of this chuntering. But was it too harsh? How else would other refs deal with it?
Things did quieten down afterward........
5 minutes later after a lineout,the blue prop says to my back "how straight does it have to be then ref?" I give a penalty and yellow card for dissent (not going through the captain ).
Got a bit of a reaction at the time, seems now to be over the top, but a question how do we control such situations? I had asked, told, penalised and was concerned we were going to have an afternoon of this chuntering. But was it too harsh? How else would other refs deal with it?
Things did quieten down afterward........