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MELBOURNE, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The Australian Rugby Union
has complained to the International Rugby Board about criticism
of one its referees by the IRB's referee manager, Paddy
O'Brien.
O'Brien was quoted in media reports this week criticising
Australian referee Stuart Dickinson for erroneously penalising
the All Blacks in the scrum during their 20-6 win over Italy in
Milan on Saturday.
O'Brien also visited the touring All Blacks' hotel in
London to apologise for the referee's performance, British
media reported.
"ARU wishes to express its considerable surprise at these
developments," the governing body said in a statement on
Friday.
"We expect to see this transparent approach adopted on a
consistent basis for all elite referees in the future.
"Also, the ARU thinks that the criticism of Dickinson, the
leading referee in Australia for a number of years, was lacking
in balance."
The ARU said it would be happy to discuss the findings of
its own analysis with O'Brien.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Peter Rutherford; To
query or comment on this story email
sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com) Updated on Friday, Nov 20, 2009 2:18 am, EST Email to a Friend | View Popular
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