By Peter Bills

Players back chatting referees and putting match officials under psychological pressure are going to be hammered, starting with the Six Nations Championship this weekend.

A worldwide crackdown is set to fall on those players complaining to referees or touch judges about their decisions. Warnings will be given, but then penalties and even yellow cards are possible, on the grounds of persistent law breaking.

The fact is, if you bother to read the law book, it states categorically "the referee is the sole judge... of the laws ... and no one has the right to dispute a decision".

'No one has the right to dispute a decision'

What has happened is that players and coaches have taken advantage of a more lenient approach by match officials. The original idea was for referees to allow a contrary viewpoint to be expressed by a captain.

But some of the scenes now being witnessed are thoroughly unpleasant. England scrumhalf Matt Dawson was seen screaming in protest, his face contorted in fury, at a touch judge during the recent Heineken Cup match between Stade Toulouse and Wasps.

Also in that game, Wasps captain Lawrence Dallaglio spent virtually the entire game moaning to the referee and gesticulating about assumed misdemeanours by the French players.

England have been targeted as one of the worst offenders. Their captain, Martin Corry, is regarded as a persistent offender, but other international players, like George Gregan, the Australian captain, have been equally adept at the trick. Plenty of others are, too.

What has pushed the International Rugby Board to act now is clear evidence that the problem is becoming widespread. IRB refereeing supremo Paddy O'Brien said: "It has become an epidemic. It is a bad part of the game."

'It has become an epidemic'

O'Brien was the TMO (television match official) during 2005's Lions tour of New Zealand and says he could hear players complaining to the referees throughout the games. "At every decision, there was this talking going on," he said. "More recently, I went to watch a club game in Dublin and heard it there, too."

The administrators of world rugby have seen damaging trends in other sports, like cricket, where the Australians now virtually demand an explanation from umpires if a player is given not out. That, surely, transcends the boundaries of fair play and rugby's officials want none of it in their game.

O'Brien says: "There is nothing in the law book that says players have the right to make comments to a referee. It is a privilege on their part, but sadly it has been abused."

Half the time, players or captains are complaining simply to stop the other side taking a quick penalty. It is slowing the game up and has to be tackled.

In fact, the law book says that players must not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship. Clearly, this falls within that particular category.

O'Brien has told all the referees handling Six Nations matches in the next two months to crack down hard on the trait. He believes that a couple of early penalties in the first few minutes of a game, as soon as the complaining starts, will solve most of the problems. If that doesn't do it, referees will be told they have the right to issue yellow cards for persistent offenders.

"When players show clear dissent at a referee's decision, crowds can get involved and it becomes a thin dividing line. It certainly is not in the spirit of the game."

All Black coach Graham Henry said at the end of the New Zealanders' Grand Slam tour of Ireland and the UK last November, he had been amazed at the level of chat to referees by players in the UK.

"It was incredible, we couldn't believe it. How do you stop it? Easy. Just hand out penalties against anyone complaining and keep doing so. That would cut it out in minutes."

O'Brien admits he was disturbed by what he saw and heard during the autumn internationals. Touch judges have been told to raise their flag at instances of players protesting volubly. "We don't want to be stupid about this, but we are going to act to stop it," said O'Brien.

Personally, I think they're spot on. I'm bored with watching players mouth off at referees or touch judges, often in frustration at their own inadequacies and failings.

Certain coaches and players are the ones who have abused the privilege. The moaning minnies would do well to take a piece of advice. "Zip it!"

• This article was originally published on page 23 of The Star on January 31, 2006