Referee Morrison stays a free spirit

Rugby Union

Rugby Union

STEVE BALE

Ed Morrison, England's senior referee, has struck a despairing blow for rugby union's fading Corinthianism by turning down the pounds 400 fee to which he is entitled for handling Saturday's France v Ireland match at Parc des Princes, his 15th international.

Morrison, a 44-year-old former aerospace worker from Bristol who has been unemployed for 13 months, has politely told the Rugby Football Union, which is responsible for the payment, it can keep its money. Following the acceptance of professionalism in rugby, the Five Nations' committee agreed to a scale of fees for match officials in the Championship.

"I have no qualms whatsoever about players being paid - they deserve every penny they get - but as far as my own lot is concerned, I'm not comfortable with it and would prefer not to take anything," Morrison said yesterday. "The game is about playing. People come to see players playing; they don't pay to see referees refereeing, even though some silly fool has to do it."

As he was the referee of last year's World Cup final between South Africa and New Zealand, Morrison could even be said to be the leading referee in the world. But he remains one of the old school who regards rugby as an unpaid, low-key pastime. "I don't believe we should have too high a profile, certainly not compared with the players," he said. "It's not our game; it's theirs."

That said, there has been private disquiet among referees that the pounds 400 fee is derisory when compared with the thousands now available to professional internationals.

"If the fee were set at thousands I'd have to scratch my head and no doubt my views would change, but I'd rather have a good time rather than worry about money," Morrison said. "I do it because it's my hobby and I'll be quite content to go to Paris and have a wonderful weekend."