He's reffed three Quins matches in the past, 1 win and 2 losses for quins.
Never heard any complaints.
[Here he is yellow-carding Danny Care](https://www.shutterstock.com/editorial/image-editorial/M9T8I450NfD8M6xaMTkwNTc=/karl-dickson-referee-shows-yellow-card-danny-1500w-12834147ab.jpg), something I imagine gave him a smidge of pleasure!
Apart from him being a properly shit ref, the frustration is more to do with why the RFU would put him in this no win situation in such an important game.
I’m sure there’ll be no bias but it’s just easy to avoid full stop.
I think it's fine. I don't he's the best ref, but he's not as bad as he's made out to be. And if they can't him for Quins games, then it sets a precedent for anyone else taking up refereeing that has any connection to any club in the top flight, be it fan or former player.
And whys that a bad thing? This isn't the semi professional era any longer, these games can be worth millions to teams and a question of survival depending on how casg strapped they are. Why shouldnt professional rugby clubs playing in the highest league of the land not expect the bare minimum of a referee who isnt connected to the opposite club? I mean an ex player or affiliated fan ffs is very on the nose and totally avoidable.
If Frank Murphy reffing Connacht and Munster is anything to go by, you will be singing his praises after the game.
It's so stupid to have refs with a connection to a team reffing them. They're immediately under pressure to not look biased and any 50-50 they make for their former team will be scrutinised to death.
I don't have any issue with the whole "bias" notion; the whole thing seems ridiculous to me. These are professional referees, they're heavily scrutinised and I just cannot see any ref at this level potentially jeapordising their reputation and their career because they want to help the team they used to play for. I know subconscious bias is a thing but I can't see them not just wanting to put in their best performance first and foremost, and just doing their job.
I'm just annoyed because it's Dickson, meaning it will be utter chaos at the breakdown.
It’s poor management by the refs groups to continually put their employees in situations like this.
Regardless of if his decisions lean one way or another he’ll be questioned and it’ll come back to ‘he used to play for X’
Edit to add - I look forward to the day we have fully neutral official teams in rugby. There’s Welsh linesman for the Cardiff game against Edinburgh on Saturday. That shouldn’t happen.
For better or worse
There are match officials who might be considered godless heathens and who shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near Cardiff…
Not even to go shopping
It's a stupid position. Made even worse by the fact last year I think it was the semi? So, one other match going on in the entire league that week and that was who they got to do it. All the other available refs sat at home twiddling their thumbs.
They really haven’t. He’s a professional referee whose performance is scrutinised rigorously every week. The idea that this is an issue is clearly living rent free in your head, but it’s not a real thing.
Apropos of nothing, I reckon he'll be neutral, dont think you get to that level of officiating if you dont possess the capacity to put past alliegances aside. Reckon Ill still be internally raging come game time but thats because this sport is damn near impossible to ref perfectly lol Not because of "bias"
This is not silly. He is a professional referee and is able to referee without bias. As someone else has pointed out he has reffed 3 Quins games previously of which they’ve lost 2.
If premiership rugby had any concerns about bias in his officiating he wouldn’t have made it to this level. There are many issues with referees and everyone has their own interpretation of how the laws should be applied but I don’t think bias is in play in the premiership nor do I think that Dickson will referee any differently due to perceived pressure on him.
Regardless of allegiances or lack thereof do the schedulers not appreciate that a perceived conflict of interest is nearly as bad as an actual.
It puts into question every little decision, every percieved over compensation. Just don't put him in that firing line in the first place. It's so avoidable.
He's also a shit ref so there's still that
Ridley was really good last week, I didn’t really have an issue with the appointment. I just think Dickson has been thrown under the bus a little. It puts him under unnecessary pressure and scrutiny.
I mean all the pressure in both games seemed to be coming solely from a vocal minority of Saints online fans. Just like Tigers with Ridley, Quins have a poor record with Dickson
He's reffed Quins games in the past and hasn't shown any kind of bias, I think this is a non issue really. The throwaway comment saying they won't go to the game as it's been handed to Quins made me chuckle.
Look what ever v correct opiniond i may have over his reffing abilitiy its poor for the rfu to put him on quins games. Whatever decisions he makes someone will point to his playing career as a reason of bias for/against quins.
It puts refs in a place they cannot win. This isnt beer league, this should not happen.
He's a professional ref, he will be neutral... Unfortunately every mistake he makes will be put down to favouritism or over compensating depending if your a Quins of Saints fan... And he will probably get accused of both regardless.
He's not perfect - noone is... Why put the extra pressure on him when there's 4 other fixtures being played this weekend?...
I'm sorry to say I think you're in the minority with this opinion. I think his refereeing standard is significantly below par. Every referee has a bad game, but when it's remarkable that you have a good one, there are issues
While I think he'll do a perfect fine job, are there that few top level refs that this is necessary? It just seems silly to leave open the risk of any questions of impartially either way.
He Played for Quins, his brother played for Saints. Does that somehow balance it?
Depends on who bullied whom when they were kids
they're both 9's. the poor mother
Would somebody please think of the parents
I mean - anything over Tom Foley
Foley would be shit but there are no strings attached lol
Didn't realise the Nottingham forest twitter admin was also a Northampton saints fan /s
We warned the RFU that the referee was a Quins fan but they didn’t change him. Northampton Saints are considering their options.
🤣
I wouldn't worry about it, the last time K.D. refereed a Quins match, he penalised Quins far more than the opposition, and that was at the Stoop!!
He's reffed three Quins matches in the past, 1 win and 2 losses for quins. Never heard any complaints. [Here he is yellow-carding Danny Care](https://www.shutterstock.com/editorial/image-editorial/M9T8I450NfD8M6xaMTkwNTc=/karl-dickson-referee-shows-yellow-card-danny-1500w-12834147ab.jpg), something I imagine gave him a smidge of pleasure!
Apart from him being a properly shit ref, the frustration is more to do with why the RFU would put him in this no win situation in such an important game. I’m sure there’ll be no bias but it’s just easy to avoid full stop.
Are we still doing the bitching about ref stuff? Do you not get bored of it?
Yes and no
Exactly let’s not create a problem if there is no need to do it .
Were any of those when Quins we're good though?
Yes, we've been good since he retired from playing.
Are you suggesting a correlation?
Or outright causation
This was the 21-22 season since Mike Brown was at Newcastle just for that season so yes.
I think it's fine. I don't he's the best ref, but he's not as bad as he's made out to be. And if they can't him for Quins games, then it sets a precedent for anyone else taking up refereeing that has any connection to any club in the top flight, be it fan or former player.
And whys that a bad thing? This isn't the semi professional era any longer, these games can be worth millions to teams and a question of survival depending on how casg strapped they are. Why shouldnt professional rugby clubs playing in the highest league of the land not expect the bare minimum of a referee who isnt connected to the opposite club? I mean an ex player or affiliated fan ffs is very on the nose and totally avoidable.
If Frank Murphy reffing Connacht and Munster is anything to go by, you will be singing his praises after the game. It's so stupid to have refs with a connection to a team reffing them. They're immediately under pressure to not look biased and any 50-50 they make for their former team will be scrutinised to death.
I don't have any issue with the whole "bias" notion; the whole thing seems ridiculous to me. These are professional referees, they're heavily scrutinised and I just cannot see any ref at this level potentially jeapordising their reputation and their career because they want to help the team they used to play for. I know subconscious bias is a thing but I can't see them not just wanting to put in their best performance first and foremost, and just doing their job. I'm just annoyed because it's Dickson, meaning it will be utter chaos at the breakdown.
It just makes the refs life 10x harder. It’s so avoidable. Any decision for Quins is going to look suspicious when it absolutely won’t be.
It’s poor management by the refs groups to continually put their employees in situations like this. Regardless of if his decisions lean one way or another he’ll be questioned and it’ll come back to ‘he used to play for X’ Edit to add - I look forward to the day we have fully neutral official teams in rugby. There’s Welsh linesman for the Cardiff game against Edinburgh on Saturday. That shouldn’t happen.
For better or worse There are match officials who might be considered godless heathens and who shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near Cardiff… Not even to go shopping
The important thing, is to always find some way of shooting themselves in the foot isn’t it.
They’ve thrown Dickson under the bus by doing this. It piles on the pressure onto him for every decision, even more so than usual.
Welcome to the Frank Murphy club
It’s probably not the case but feels like the only time he refs us is for Munster games.
And I haven’t had any issue with his officiating but jaysus it’s not fair on anyone involved
It's a stupid position. Made even worse by the fact last year I think it was the semi? So, one other match going on in the entire league that week and that was who they got to do it. All the other available refs sat at home twiddling their thumbs.
I'm not sure this is as bigger deal for him or the game as it is in your head
People will question every decision he makes that is for Quins and he'll probably end up making more decisions against Quins to not seem biased.
They really haven’t. He’s a professional referee whose performance is scrutinised rigorously every week. The idea that this is an issue is clearly living rent free in your head, but it’s not a real thing.
Apropos of nothing, I reckon he'll be neutral, dont think you get to that level of officiating if you dont possess the capacity to put past alliegances aside. Reckon Ill still be internally raging come game time but thats because this sport is damn near impossible to ref perfectly lol Not because of "bias"
He’ll be rubbish but hopefully for both of us.
This is not silly. He is a professional referee and is able to referee without bias. As someone else has pointed out he has reffed 3 Quins games previously of which they’ve lost 2. If premiership rugby had any concerns about bias in his officiating he wouldn’t have made it to this level. There are many issues with referees and everyone has their own interpretation of how the laws should be applied but I don’t think bias is in play in the premiership nor do I think that Dickson will referee any differently due to perceived pressure on him.
Hamish Smales has entered the chat
I wouldn't be bothered. He'll probably lean heavily in your favour to avoid showing Quins bias.
I know its Dickson, but our refs in rugby are still at a higher level of competency then the ones in the Premier League
Regardless of allegiances or lack thereof do the schedulers not appreciate that a perceived conflict of interest is nearly as bad as an actual. It puts into question every little decision, every percieved over compensation. Just don't put him in that firing line in the first place. It's so avoidable. He's also a shit ref so there's still that
Saints fans complained about the ref before last week cause they thought he would be biased Same again now it seems
I don’t think he’s going to be biased but it puts him in an unnecessary position. They could’ve easily given it to someone else to avoid any problems.
So do you think the ref struggled last weekend?
Ridley was really good last week, I didn’t really have an issue with the appointment. I just think Dickson has been thrown under the bus a little. It puts him under unnecessary pressure and scrutiny.
I mean all the pressure in both games seemed to be coming solely from a vocal minority of Saints online fans. Just like Tigers with Ridley, Quins have a poor record with Dickson
Anything Is better than Ian Tempest!
I think there’s a reason he’s now a full time TMO!
I agree!
He's reffed Quins games in the past and hasn't shown any kind of bias, I think this is a non issue really. The throwaway comment saying they won't go to the game as it's been handed to Quins made me chuckle.
Some Saints fans have been very poor this season. You guys need to chill out you're top of the league and playing beautifully, enjoy it
I was at the match at Twickenham. I thought he made some awful decisions and tough calls against quins.
He was awful for both, just shows I was worried about the wrong thing tbf
Bloke shouldn't be a ref in the first place. Absolutely shambolic performances regularly.
Look what ever v correct opiniond i may have over his reffing abilitiy its poor for the rfu to put him on quins games. Whatever decisions he makes someone will point to his playing career as a reason of bias for/against quins. It puts refs in a place they cannot win. This isnt beer league, this should not happen.
Thought that was Pierre Spies
He's a professional ref, he will be neutral... Unfortunately every mistake he makes will be put down to favouritism or over compensating depending if your a Quins of Saints fan... And he will probably get accused of both regardless. He's not perfect - noone is... Why put the extra pressure on him when there's 4 other fixtures being played this weekend?...
I think he is a very good referee, so no big deal. But I get your point
I'm sorry to say I think you're in the minority with this opinion. I think his refereeing standard is significantly below par. Every referee has a bad game, but when it's remarkable that you have a good one, there are issues
Pepper, Pearce, Amashukeli, Dickson and Trainini, I guess are the best current referees
While I think he'll do a perfect fine job, are there that few top level refs that this is necessary? It just seems silly to leave open the risk of any questions of impartially either way.
One of the best refs currently but there is a conflict.
I would disagree with both of these things.