"Absolutely brilliant" - Peter Crouch wishes football referees were as good as rugby

Wednesday, 01 November 2023 at 18:24

byRugby Rucker

Ex-England football legend Peter Crouch sheds light on his belief that rugby officials, with figures like World Cup final referee Wayne Barnes at the forefront, outshine their football counterparts.

Speaking on his podcast, the former centre forward uncovers the reasons behind their perceived superiority in the world of officiating.

He said: “I don't know [if I would take a job as a VAR official]. The thought of sitting there drawing lines feels a bit schoolteacher. It’s not why I got into football. I'll be honest, I don't know if I would be up for the job personally.

“I do think there's an issue with it. I watched quite a bit the Rugby World Cup and the way the referees officiated and the way they talked through decisions, is so transparent. It feels like it doesn't have to be as hard as it is at the moment.

"There is still human error, which is the reason why we got VAR in the first place. Let's be honest, it disrupts the flow of the game, it's not enjoyable for anyone, and not all decisions are correct. It's not ideal.”

England get easy pool for 2027 Rugby World Cup

With the current World Rankings in mind, let's delve into how the 2027 Rugby World Cup will shape up via Rugby Centre.

2027 Rugby World Cup draw (Current rankings)

POOL A

South Africa
Australia
Portugal
Spain

POOL B

France
Fiji
Tonga
Chile

Antoine Dupont of France during the Guinness Six Nations match between England and France at Twickenham Stadium, Twickenham, London on Saturday 11th March 2023 | Photo: James Fearn/PPAUK.

POOL C

New Zealand
Argentina
Georgia
Romania

POOL D

England
Italy
Uruguay
Canada

Marcus Smith of England during the England World Cup Squad Announcement at Twickenham Stadium, London on Monday 7th August 2023 (Photo: George Beck/PPAUK)