In defence of horse racing

Rugby has enough problems — from baffling rule changes to concussion — without the referees muddying the pitch even more. Pascal Gaüzère, who officiated in last weekend’s gripping Triple Crown encounter in Cardiff, has told a senior official at World Rugby that he shouldn’t have let Wales’s controversial first two tries stand. It is an interesting confession but I doubt many on the other side of the Severn Bridge would agree with him.

Rugby and football refs, like traffic wardens and estate agents, will always be hate figures, with notable exceptions such as Nigel Owens, who has become a national treasure, or the legendary Pierluigi Collina, who memorably said that ‘football is an imperfect game and I don’t understand why we try to make it perfect’. Refs are human and they occasionally make mistakes in a very demanding job. Human error is part of the fun of sport, and the current frenzy is ridiculous, especially over football and VAR.