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The Test official has come under fire for his performance in a European clash with two moments described as ‘ridiculous’ and ‘dreadful’
Test referee Karl Dickson has come under fire for his performance in the Champions Cup clash between Pau and the Bulls, with one pundit accusing him of “coaching and try assisting” alongside officiating.
The 43-year-old former Harlequins star was the man in the middle for Friday night’s match at Stade du Hameau, in which the visiting South African side secured a narrow 26-24 win over their French hosts in a dramatic contest. However, one of the big talking points at the final whistle was his performance, with two moments in particular sparking debate among rugby fans.
The first of those moments came shortly before the half-hour mark, as Bulls hooker Akker van der Merwe powered over the line from a maul to put his side ahead.
In the build-up to that try, Dickson was heard repeatedly telling the South African star to use the ball and “break away” from the back of the maul, before pulling at the front rower’s shirt to further encourage him to break free.
Immediately after the referee pulled at his shirt, van der Merwe broke clear and bulldozed his way to the line to put the Bulls 10-7 ahead.
Dickson’s move has proved to be a controversial one, with former England international Andy Goode suggesting that it amounted to coaching and assisting the hooker for the try, while others argued that it gave van der Merwe an advantage.
“What in the snakes is this!” he said as he shared a clip of the incident on X. “Karl Dickson refereeing, coaching and try assisting at the same time?!”
Many fans agreed with Goode, with one writing: “Ref shouldn’t be making any physical contact with a player which would enhance their situational awareness. If its not a law then maybe it needs to be one. It’s common sense – assisting in the lineout next?”
Another wrote: “I get that you want the game moving, but you shouldn’t be coaching a team through a game like that,” while a third added: “The ref became part of the maul, ridiculous stuff.”
While one fan even accused Dickson of having “major main character syndrome,” others defended him, with rugby writer Jared Wright arguing: “This is being blown out of proportion by so many.
“Four players weren’t able to stop Akker. Players [were] obviously struggling to hear the referee.”
However, the first-half incident wasn’t the only moment involving Dickson that has been scrutinised, with the referee finding himself at the centre of the try that won the Bulls the match late on.
With the visitors just inches from the opposition try line, Dickson got a little too close to the action as he stepped in front of Pau wing Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang as he looked to stop Bulls back rower Nizaam Carr from burrowing over.
However, having been blocked by the referee, Grandidier-Nkanang was unable to intervene and he was left fuming at the English official as the Bulls celebrated.
“He also assisted the try at the end – his positioning was blocking the tackler on the line,” wrote one fan, while another remarked “That is utterly dreadful,” and a third described it as “madness”.
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