No winners in the wake of Mack Hansen saga says Andy Goode

OPINION: Retired England flyhalf Andy Goode shines the spotlight on the Mack Hansen suspension and the state of the officials.

There is no perfect solution when it comes to refereeing criticism but the Mack Hansen situation is a mess and nobody comes out of it well.

The fact that the official at the centre of the saga, Chris Busby, is reportedly set to retire and that news has emerged on the same day a six-week suspension was handed out has taken the story to a whole new level.

Of course, as is the way with rugby and I’ve said previously how badly the system needs overhauling, Hansen will only miss three matches and be back in time for Ireland’s Six Nations campaign but it’s still a hefty ban for some poorly worded post-match comments.

He knows only too well that he should have expressed himself better, albeit everyone should be able to appreciate how difficult that is in the immediate aftermath of a sporting battle, and I don’t think there’s any way he could escape punishment completely.

You could argue that a fine would have no impact whatsoever so a three-game ban is proportionate but the more important point is that we shouldn’t deter players from speaking freely, just ensure they don’t cross the line.

Hansen clearly did that when he said it “seemed like 16 men against us instead of 15” because you can’t be allowed to question a referee’s integrity or insinuate that something untoward might be going on without firm evidence to back it up.

I’m sure he didn’t intend to accuse Busby of anything as being up against 16 men, or 12 in the case of football is a phrase flippantly used the world over, but there’s no doubt he should have known better.

I don’t have any issue with him expressing frustration and highlighting incidents that he thinks weren’t dealt with correctly though. Referees need to have a thick skin just like players do and they shouldn’t be immune from criticism.

When that criticism spills over into abuse it shouldn’t be tolerated in any way, shape, or form and if Busby was subjected to any in the wake of Hansen’s comments, that’s a different matter entirely.

*READ: Referee set to retire following Hansen’s stinging criticism

We’ll only know the full story if he chooses to speak publicly about it and it is a big surprise to be honest if this was the straw that broke the camel’s back but there’ll no doubt be a plethora of reasons behind his decision to step back from refereeing.

Hansen hasn’t chosen his words properly in this instance, he’s apologised and will have to take his medicine but people definitely seem to be more sensitive to criticism generally nowadays, that’s a societal thing not something specific to rugby.

Being a rugby referee can seem like a thankless task at times and it’s regrettable that this episode doesn’t help in that regard but I don’t think it’s helpful to overprotect officials either.

Players, coaches, pundits and fans should be able to question them and have an opinion on their performance. Not only is it interesting but if you’re not open to criticism, then you’re never going to improve.

Referees discuss their own performances from the weekend in the early stages of the week in the same way that players do and I don’t see an issue with a bit more critique going on in the public domain if everyone is grown up and respectful about it.

At times in previous seasons, I’ve been asked when working in television not to highlight refereeing decisions that are clearly wrong and I don’t think that’s the right way of handling this.

Of course, respect is one of the sport’s core values and the referee’s decision is final but that doesn’t mean they don’t make mistakes and can’t be held to account. The top referees aim to get over 90 per cent of calls correct and succeed in doing so but nobody’s infallible and I think the public understands that.

If it’s done in the correct manner, officials should be able to take people analysing their performance and we all love watching the likes of Roy Keane, Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and Co debating decisions in football, being engaging and having an opinion.

Rugby needs more of that if it’s going to grow and appeal to a wider audience and it’s a complicated sport so it also needs the superstars at the heart of it to have a big voice and not be afraid to use it.

Whether it’s discussing the major calls to explain the laws and tactics of the game, talking about their own preparation or off-field interests, they should be at the centre of everything and unfortunately, they are even less likely to speak up after this.

We already don’t hear enough from players and when we do hear from them we’re all quick to criticise when pre or post-match interviews are banal or filled with answers that are straight out of the media training handbook.

Rugby is arguably the ultimate team sport but there is still room for individuals to express themselves on and off the pitch. The game is crying out for characters, and Hansen is definitely one, who is willing to speak out and hopefully, they continue to do so.

By Andy Goode, Rugbypass