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Karl Dickson: Top referees aerobically fitter than players, says ex-scrum-half

By Chris JonesBBC Radio 5 live rugby reporter

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Unioncomments61

Karl Dickson
Karl Dickson hopes to officiate a Premiership match before the end of the 2017-18 season

Top rugby union referees are aerobically fitter than players, says former Harlequins scrum-half turned official Karl Dickson.

Dickson retired in May to become a full-time professional referee, and is now part of the Rugby Football Union's 10-person elite panel.

"It's a different type of fitness, but definitely in terms of running around I am fitter as a referee," Dickson, 35, told BBC Radio 5 live.

"The referees' fitness is phenomenal."

Dickson added: "As a player you are very narrow-visioned in what you are looking at, while as a referee you have to see everything.

"It's a lot harder than you think, but I would always encourage someone to give it a go."

Karl Dickson
Dickson was part of the Harlequins squad which won the Premiership title in 2012

Dickson played 167 times for Harlequins, and toured South Africa with England in 2012.

Having started refereeing almost four years ago, Dickson now hopes to take charge of a Premiership fixture this season, with international rugby his end goal.

"You want to strive to be the best you can, and ultimately I want to referee Premiership rugby and on the international stage," he continued.

"This year I hope to have done a Premiership game, but it all depends how I perform in the Championship games and whatever games I have going forwards. It's a performance business."

Meanwhile, the new law amendments introduced this season will make the sport easier to understand and a better spectacle, according to England's leading official Wayne Barnes.

A series of law trialsexternal-link have been adopted by the northern hemisphere, including at the scrum and breakdown.

"We are trying to make the game more understandable, and make sure the ball is in play more," said Barnes.

"It's a technical game, but if we can make it a little bit simpler, that is going to be better for the game."

Barnes disagrees that the law changes will limit the contest for the ball at the scrum and ruck, and says they have been approved by the world's top coaches.

"They were involved in the discussions about what needed changing," Barnes added. "They are the ones that are pushing this, it is very much coach-driven. We are more than happy to give them a go.

"These are a year trial and we will see what happens in a year."

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61 comments

  • Comment posted by open flanker, at 14:53 12 Sep 2017

    When I was forced to finally hang up the boots I went refereeing. You run around a lot more as a ref than as a player and even though I was really fit as a player, as a referee I was out of puff mid way through the second half. The game needs refs, I urge anyone to give it a go. It's not like football, there is a lot more respect.

  • Comment posted by Chris, at 14:50 12 Sep 2017

    Wish ex-pros got involved in football refereeing! I'm sure it would result in more respect for the referee from the players.

  • Comment posted by NeilT, at 17:12 12 Sep 2017

    @10 (Rob): "I'm always amazed how good most top rugby refs are compared to football ones."

    That might be true, but it's also true that top rugby players are much easier to referee. They're (on average) far more intelligent, the immediate penalty for dissent (i.e. losing 10 yards) is more effective and the governing bodies take meaningful action to ensure respect for the ref, unlike the FA.

  • Comment posted by Rob, at 16:28 12 Sep 2017

    I'm always amazed how good most top rugby refs are compared to football ones.

  • Comment posted by ProudCornishMan, at 15:23 12 Sep 2017

    The ref has to be up with the play and alert for the full 80 minutes, so yes their fitness is without doubt.

    Combination of fitness and brain work, so physical and cerebral.

    Like the control that rugby refs take compared to football refs,, back chat, surrounding the ref etc etc halted pronto, and if continued is punished.

  • Comment posted by U16668083, at 19:35 12 Sep 2017

    As a football fan predominantly, I admire the way in which Rugby players of both codes respect the referee.

    I'm embarrassed at the way football players and fans treat officials and also the reluctance to of the authorities to make simple reforms and follow Rugby's example.

    I find Nigel Owen's story particularly inspiring.

  • Comment posted by U15132811, at 14:43 12 Sep 2017

    Its good that a number of ex pros are getting involved as refs. Hopefully more will follow Jackson and Dickson into the ranks rather than just coaching, although poachers don't always make the best gamekeepers!

  • Comment posted by U15132811, at 21:21 12 Sep 2017

    @33 Don't confuse the two games as they have different requirements, for example you don't need the type of body shape props have in league because their scrums don't require any of the power or skills that Union does. Like both games and this denigrating one or the other is pathetic

  • Comment posted by U15132811, at 18:40 12 Sep 2017

    @18 What do you think a match up between say, Rory Underwood and Jonny May would give us? Or Barry John versus Bauden Barrett? Berry John was an absolute hero but neither he nor Underwood have the pace to beat May or Barrett. In the forwards a foot race between Mervyn Davies and Taulupe Faletau would only have one result as far as I can see. The game has moved on in all aspects not just bulk.

  • Comment posted by JimmyC, at 18:02 12 Sep 2017

    Kerry, couple of posts there that seem to be harming back to the good old days of free-flowing rugby. When was this? Certainly not the 80's or thereabouts when a 5N match would finish 12-6 after a load of line outs and scrums and not much else. Backs get the ball a lot more these days and matches are higher scoring

  • Comment posted by Trytastic, at 12:03 13 Sep 2017

    How did a discussion on a refs fitness turn into the usual Union vs League squabble.

    Ah yes, the RL trolls turned up again.

    If league is so good why do over 4 times as many people play union in 5 times as many clubs, than league across England alone?

  • Comment posted by Chemi, at 19:58 12 Sep 2017

    @Kraken even if the ball is in play longer in league, rucks are on average shorter than play the balls and average kicks per team are 19 for both codes. In league there is no competition for the ball. They are different games, one is simple and parochial, the other one I prefer

  • Comment posted by Oliw, at 09:23 13 Sep 2017

    Great to see an experienced player taking up reffing. More needed, rugby refs in most cases are pretty good, with strong knowledge of laws. Issue is, some have never played, so understanding of the game isn't as strong, this is where we see what fans sometimes call bad decisions. Karl will know exactly the situations and how to ref them, wouldnt take the ref baiting that the kiwis are so good at.

  • Comment posted by next_question, at 08:22 13 Sep 2017

    Both RU and RL need more refs. KD's claim to be fitter as a ref is just typical rugby player "banter" - he's challenging other top flight players to give it a go, as none of them (and presumably no-one here) have both played and reffed at top level.

    If it gets players to try reffing, and improves their respect for refs (which it should - even reffing tiny tots is harder than you think!), good.

  • Comment posted by Kerry, at 01:33 13 Sep 2017

    Rugby League is the ultimate stop start game: play stops during that ridiculous play the ball routine (happens over 300 times per game). RL is like watching a movie and pressing pause every 15 seconds.

    Player runs straight into wall (and does so as he knows he will keep the ball), play stops as he's held, wriggles on ground, gets up, rolls ball under legs, play restarts. Repeat times 300.

  • Comment posted by Trytastic, at 18:49 12 Sep 2017

    23, I agree, there are too many changes especially the front row, very few play more than 60 mins, rarely all 80.

    Having said that i have to disagree on the scrums, the new adaptaions have improved that area already.

    Tefs always go to the TMO now, as they know they will be found out. Make a decision and stick to it.

    Ots a myth that the ball is in play longer in league.

  • Comment posted by davhow, at 16:54 12 Sep 2017

    Less contact in the scrum and ruck........not a good idea. It will be the start of a continual erosion of contact situations leading to touch rugby.

    Look at football. It went from tackles below waist height being ok, to no tackles from behind and if Platini has his way no tackles at all. Hence kissball.

    Keep the physicality but punish those that break the rules severely.

  • Comment posted by Me1, at 16:41 12 Sep 2017

    The majority of players need to be bulky to be good at what they do.
    Refs have a different criteria, closer to that of a middle distance runner. If ref and player swapped round they would each struggle with the others requirements.
    If you want "fitter" players, the game needs to be less focused on bulk. But that wouldn't make it Rugby Union, and bulk appeals those who play and watch.

  • Comment posted by Trytastic, at 08:02 13 Sep 2017

    42. Lifting in the line outs was partly to help guarantee quality ball, but according to a A grade ref at the time, who is a member of our club, "it gave props a job in the line out, so they couldn't be punching each other anymore"

    All team games are won by the best benders of the rules, RU, League, certainly football, basketball, cricket etc etc, bizarre comment.

  • Comment posted by Hopalongprop, at 07:51 13 Sep 2017

    I haven't played league but regardless of 'time in play' I reckon you have to be very fit just to master the wriggling on the ground while somebody sits on your head routine.

    Another bizarre HYS from the BBC really. Just different types of fitness for refs & same for different sports. Aren't there more interesting debates to be had?

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