Haskell-Marler Spat Shows Refs Need Help

Haskell-Marler Spat Shows Refs Need Help

- Colin Boag

 

Round three of the Premiership saw a couple of less than satisfactory performances from the officials. The one that’s had the most publicity was the ill-tempered spat between James Haskell and Joe Marler that resulted in Haskell going to the ‘bin, while the Quins prop got a retrospective caution – equivalent of a yellow card.

Everyone knows Marler is a wind-up merchant, and depending on your point of view, that’s either part of the game or an unpleasant characteristic. Squirting water at Haskell was designed to provoke a reaction – shame on the Wasps player for being daft enough to oblige.

There was talk afterwards from the Quins management about their delight at their players not taking a backward step, but surely there’s a distinction between aggression within the laws, and smallminded childishness? Haskell also came over like a schoolboy after a playground spat, whingeing about having water squirted in his face, which is not edifying coming from an experienced international.