Newcastle Falcons director of rugby Steve Diamond has been banned for the rest of season for calling a group of match-day officials “c—s” and suggesting that one of them should retire.
Diamond accepted his six-week suspension and expressed his remorse, admitting that “I am annoyed at myself” for using “industrial language” during a private conversation at Sandy Park after Newcastle’s last-gasp loss to Exeter Chiefs last month.
However, the Newcastle director of rugby also called for an overhaul of a system that has seen him receive the same sanction as Henco Venter, the Glasgow Warriors back-rower who was recently found guilty of making contact with the eye of Leicester Tigers prop Dan Cole.
Diamond’s misconduct occurred in the aftermath of Newcastle’s 17-15 loss to Exeter on March 29, which was sealed by a Greg Fisilau try in the 79th minute. Around 50 seconds before that, in the same passage of play, Chiefs centre Tamati Tua appeared to elbow Falcons wing Alex Hearle in the head.
Hearle lost his gumshield in the collision but footage was not played on the big screen for referee Adam Leal to review. In the tunnel after the final whistle, having since been alerted to the incident, Diamond walked past Leal, the two assistant referees and fourth official Neil Chivers and said: “I hope you c—s can sleep tonight”. His manner was said to be calm throughout.
Around 45 minutes later, during the post-match meals, Diamond approached television match official David Rose and repeated “you need to retire, you need to retire”. Following a virtual hearing on April 11, Diamond plead guilty to the charge of conduct prejudicial to the game. Long before that, in the days after the match, he had emailed the officials to apologise.
A six-week ban was issued despite a character statement from Graham Crozier, a senior member of the Northumberland Rugby Union Referees Society, for whom Diamond had delivered an impromptu speech on March 20, during which the 56-year-old praised officials in the community game.
The panel described Diamond as a “robust character” who “uses expressive language without thinking about the impact on others hearing it” and does not appreciate the effect of questioning the integrity of officials. Diamond’s remorse was also questioned.
In his press conference on Tuesday morning to preview the visit of Northampton Saints to Kingston Park later this week, Diamond suggested that referees tend to “corral the caravans around themselves” when their mistakes are highlighted.
“Let’s be perfectly honest here,” said Diamond. “I’ve got a six-week ban for saying an inappropriate comment, which I’ve apologised for, to a referee in complete privacy. [I did not say it] to the broadcasters. The team of five were all refereeing in Europe last week after a huge mistake.
“Someone was blatantly hit in the face. The ref and ARs [assistant referees] can’t see everything, but surely, for goodness sake, the TMO should be seeing these things.”
Diamond labelled Premiership referees as “the best around” and “100 per cent” accepted that they work hard to improve standards. He did argue, however, that there is a “huge difference” between amateur referees and professional referees when it comes accepting criticism.
He suggested that it was fortunate that the game between Newcastle and Exeter was not televised and stated that “we have to remember that livelihoods are on the line”, even in the absence of relegation. Paul Hull, the head of professional game officials at the Rugby Football Union, has indicated to Falcons that the contact between Tua and Hearle should have been penalised.
Diamond also called for Premiership Rugby, rather than the RFU, to oversee the top tier’s officials.
“There’s no accountability,” he added. “We understand that we have to have regulation and that I can’t say what I said, but there’s got to be some accountability. Otherwise people keep making mistakes. The accountability for me making that comment is a six-week ban, which will affect the team. The accountability for someone done for gouging in Europe is the same ban.
“You poke somebody’s eye out, or you attempt to, and you get six weeks. If you say something inappropriate in a private arena to professional referees, you get the same ban. Maybe I don’t think that’s fair.
“But the team of four or five [officials] hasn’t been good enough. Do we just accept that as ‘hey, that’s how it goes’? Or do we say that they shouldn’t officiate for a week or two? We don’t know, because we don’t get feedback on these things.”
Diamond will be in the stands on Friday evening with his eight-year-old daughter, Evie, and explained that disappointment in Devon has spurred the Falcons squad. With the club 10 points adrift and the bottom of the table and still inviting outside investment, victory over the reigning champions would be welcome.
“We’re in a holding pattern at the moment,” Diamond said. “Sooner or later, that is going to have to break and we’re going to have to land. We’ve got an opportunity on Friday to put ourselves in the shop window.”
Newcastle Falcons director of rugby Steve Diamond has been banned for the rest of season for calling a group of match-day officials “c—s” and suggesting that one of them should retire.
Diamond accepted his six-week suspension and expressed his remorse, admitting that “I am annoyed at myself” for using “industrial language” during a private conversation at Sandy Park after Newcastle’s last-gasp loss to Exeter Chiefs last month.
However, the Newcastle director of rugby also called for an overhaul of a system that has seen him receive the same sanction as Henco Venter, the Glasgow Warriors back-rower who was recently found guilty of making contact with the eye of Leicester Tigers prop Dan Cole.
Diamond’s misconduct occurred in the aftermath of Newcastle’s 17-15 loss to Exeter on March 29, which was sealed by a Greg Fisilau try in the 79th minute. Around 50 seconds before that, in the same passage of play, Chiefs centre Tamati Tua appeared to elbow Falcons wing Alex Hearle in the head.
Hearle lost his gumshield in the collision but footage was not played on the big screen for referee Adam Leal to review. In the tunnel after the final whistle, having since been alerted to the incident, Diamond walked past Leal, the two assistant referees and fourth official Neil Chivers and said: “I hope you c—s can sleep tonight”. His manner was said to be calm throughout.
Around 45 minutes later, during the post-match meals, Diamond approached television match official David Rose and repeated “you need to retire, you need to retire”. Following a virtual hearing on April 11, Diamond plead guilty to the charge of conduct prejudicial to the game. Long before that, in the days after the match, he had emailed the officials to apologise.
A six-week ban was issued despite a character statement from Graham Crozier, a senior member of the Northumberland Rugby Union Referees Society, for whom Diamond had delivered an impromptu speech on March 20, during which the 56-year-old praised officials in the community game.
The panel described Diamond as a “robust character” who “uses expressive language without thinking about the impact on others hearing it” and does not appreciate the effect of questioning the integrity of officials. Diamond’s remorse was also questioned.
In his press conference on Tuesday morning to preview the visit of Northampton Saints to Kingston Park later this week, Diamond suggested that referees tend to “corral the caravans around themselves” when their mistakes are highlighted.
“Let’s be perfectly honest here,” said Diamond. “I’ve got a six-week ban for saying an inappropriate comment, which I’ve apologised for, to a referee in complete privacy. [I did not say it] to the broadcasters. The team of five were all refereeing in Europe last week after a huge mistake.
“Someone was blatantly hit in the face. The ref and ARs [assistant referees] can’t see everything, but surely, for goodness sake, the TMO should be seeing these things.”
Diamond labelled Premiership referees as “the best around” and “100 per cent” accepted that they work hard to improve standards. He did argue, however, that there is a “huge difference” between amateur referees and professional referees when it comes accepting criticism.
He suggested that it was fortunate that the game between Newcastle and Exeter was not televised and stated that “we have to remember that livelihoods are on the line”, even in the absence of relegation. Paul Hull, the head of professional game officials at the Rugby Football Union, has indicated to Falcons that the contact between Tua and Hearle should have been penalised.
Diamond also called for Premiership Rugby, rather than the RFU, to oversee the top tier’s officials.
“There’s no accountability,” he added. “We understand that we have to have regulation and that I can’t say what I said, but there’s got to be some accountability. Otherwise people keep making mistakes. The accountability for me making that comment is a six-week ban, which will affect the team. The accountability for someone done for gouging in Europe is the same ban.
“You poke somebody’s eye out, or you attempt to, and you get six weeks. If you say something inappropriate in a private arena to professional referees, you get the same ban. Maybe I don’t think that’s fair.
“But the team of four or five [officials] hasn’t been good enough. Do we just accept that as ‘hey, that’s how it goes’? Or do we say that they shouldn’t officiate for a week or two? We don’t know, because we don’t get feedback on these things.”
Diamond will be in the stands on Friday evening with his eight-year-old daughter, Evie, and explained that disappointment in Devon has spurred the Falcons squad. With the club 10 points adrift and the bottom of the table and still inviting outside investment, victory over the reigning champions would be welcome.
“We’re in a holding pattern at the moment,” Diamond said. “Sooner or later, that is going to have to break and we’re going to have to land. We’ve got an opportunity on Friday to put ourselves in the shop window.”
