In the Rabo league (Wales/Scotland/Ireland), there are refs reffing teams from their country against teams from other countries. AR/TMO are from home countries. There have been no serious problem reported. All referees, AR and TMO want to be and seen to be fair.
I'd say welcome, but you've been lurking for a while. Welcome all the same!
The one consistent positive in my own refereeing is that I am seen as fair. I may miss things, but after the game, my players have not once considered otherwise. During the game, yes. They have questioned decisions. I have made wrong decisions; we all have. I do not have the benefit of To3 and TMO, and all my players understand that.
I do not - cannot - believe that a single professional referee (including all ARs and TMOs) has ever been biased. Not a single one, ever. Yet I've yelled against "bad" decisions. Admittedly before I had any experience as a referee myself, but spectators are stakeholders too. They pay the bills (by paying for tickets, Sky, etc.)
At the top level, even if WE know that decent referees are actually simply incapable of favouritism, "Joe Public" might think he is.
I know he won't be, we all know won't be, but in a commercial environment, it is worth spending the money to get 5 neutrals in there as often as possible.
And there is no reason for ARs not to be half "at home". It is just that TMO is now more influential.
