ANOTHER FINE MESS

Haskell will miss Friday's Guinness Premiership match at Leicester, but he will be able to play in the home fixture against Bath next Wednesday. The one week ban is at the lower end of the scale for such an offence, but it should serve to focus the young England forward's mind. One would hope it will prompt a return to the hustling, bustling play he became prominent for last spring.

Birkett's admonition should be heeded by every player. The ruck area has been a complete shambles this season, despite the introduction of a tranche of ELVs designed to rationalise and speed up the game. However, rucking off the ball has all but stopped in recent times. No variation necessary here. If only the ELVs were as effective.

The most telling judgement made by Judge Jeff Blackett was reserved for the officials. Haskell's offence occurred during a farcical contest when Phil Vickery tried to counter ruck and was struck several times following his illegal grasp of the dummy half.

Blackett's report, following the hearing in London, stated: "This case has not been handled well by match officials or the citing officer.

"The referee was very close to the incident and must have had a clear view of what occurred, yet he took no or insufficient disciplinary action.

"This is very disappointing, given the recent IRB (International Rugby Board) directive on 'clearing out'.

"The first act by (Worcester flanker Tom) Wood, in which he jumped into (Phil) Vickery with a swinging arm is exactly the sort of action envisaged in and prohibited by the directive.

"The IRB have asked for referees to apply zero tolerance to this sort of dangerous play, and that means taking early and decisive action.

"Having not penalised Wood, the referee then observed Vickery grabbing (Greg) Rawlinson by the scrum cap and dragging him into the ruck (the action which was subsequently penalised).

"He then stood by as Rawlinson punched Vickery five times in and around the head, despite Haskell's request for intervention, and then he observed Haskell clearing out Rawlinson by lunging towards him head-first - another example of the behaviour envisaged in the IRB directive.

"Had the referee taken action against Wood initially, then none of the rest of the foul play would have followed.

"It is almost beyond comprehension that he then decided to penalise Vickery for the least of all of the acts of foul play.

"Unfortunately, the citing officer also took insufficient action.

"His written observation of what occurred failed to describe adequately or properly the full extent of the various offences committed.

"Although Haskell's citing was correct, the citing officer should also have cited Rawlinson for the punching and Wood for illegal clearing out.

"By failing to do so, the panel were placed in the invidious position of taking disciplinary action against one person, when other similar acts of foul play in the same incident will remain unpunished because the time limit for citing has passed and there are no exceptional circumstances which would allow those limits to be waived or extended."

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Following the announcement, Director of Rugby Ian McGeechan said,

"We are very satisfied with the disciplinary process and the way in which it was conducted. We will not be appealing the one week ban imposed on James Haskell and appreciated the fair mindedness that was shown by the disciplinary panel. I think that has been reflected in their statement and we thank them for that clarity.

"Obviously there is the legal process that has to be followed but I also thought there was a very clear rugby thinking approach taken to proceedings and how it was viewed with all the evidence was first class. With the game now professional what it has shown is that it is no longer just players and coaches, but referees and citing officers that have to be part of the whole professional game and its systems. I think that this judgment is the strongest indication yet of this which should please everyone involved in the game."

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Weak officiating failed to prevent the situation escalating into a dust up. Then irrational citations issued by the citing officer post-match turned a blind eye to the other misdemeanours. The game is meant to be more professional, not less, at the highest level. If the officials don't keep their house in order, we'll pitch headlong into the disrespectful shenanigans and kidology of professional football.

Gentlemen, your co-operation, please!

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