ON RUGBY/Edmund Van Esbeck: Does the punishment always fit the crime in rugby? At times it does, and most emphatically on occasions it does not. To what extent do referees, and indeed disciplinary committees, bear responsibility for this and so render the game and the players who play it a great injustice? Certainly on occasions such is the case and there is no doubt, too, that we see referees using the yellow card instead of red as a cop-out of their responsibilities to the game and the players under their control by not taking th

We have had some telling examples in recent times of referees failing to take the appropriate action when acts of blatant thuggery take place. In that respect we got a telling and indeed chilling example of that last Saturday in the international between Ireland and Italy.

The head-butt on Ireland's scrumhalf Peter Stringer by the Italian prop Salvatore Perugini was a blatant act of violence and aggression. Just about everybody in the ground saw it. The referee Rob Dickson, of Scotland, incredibly consulted his touch judge Joel Dume, of France, and then gave Perugini a yellow card. That decision was received by the crowd with howls of derision and protest.

It was a total cop-out, a shameful decision that brought the game into disrepute. Dickson, in essence, put the responsibility for what disciplinary action should be taken onto Dume. In fact if you look at the video, Dickson had a much better view of the incident than Dume. If Dickson had taken the correct decision - and it would not in the circumstances have been even a brave decision, so blatantly obvious was the act of violence - he would gave done himself and the game a service. As matters stand, surely his failure to take the appropriate action will have been duly noted by the relevant authority.

If Dickson has studied the video of the match, as assuredly he did - and if not he most certainly should - then he will blush with shame. The decision of match commissioner Russell Howell to cite Perugini was absolutely correct and so too is the disciplinary committee's decision to impose a 20 weeks' ban on the Italian player. That decision is a striking indictment on Dickson's failure to act as he should have done. Nor was the head-butt on Stringer the only unsavoury incident last Saturday.

But of course Perugini has the right of appeal. And we have some unfortunate precedents in recent times as to what can happen in appeals. In that respect none was more unfortunate than that which happened recently when the Castres forward Ismaella Lassissi was given 12 months for biting Peter Clohessy on an arm in the European Cup match. Lo and behold, within a week, the clever lawyers got to work and the suspension was lifted. Will we have a similar happening now?

The incident in which the England captain Martin Johnson was given a yellow card after punching an opponent is another example of proper disciplinary action not having been taken by the referee. Then we had the ludicrous appeal procedure after he was cited and was suspended. Then came the appeal and he was free to play against both Ireland and France

But there is another issue that is fundamental and important in relation to refereeing appointments. Refereeing is not an easy task and carries a burden of responsibility. But let us bear in mind we are now in a professional era and the old argument about referees being amateurs no longer holds good at the top level. Referees are now paid for their work at representative level. Indeed some are actually contracted officials, just like players.

Why is it then that, too often, incompetence and inefficiency are overlooked and referees clearly guilty of it continue to be appointed to officiate at representative and international levels. It is a pertinent question that needs to be addressed. Mediocrity and incompetence should nor be rewarded or protected.

But so, too, some referees are outstanding, with a great feel for the game, exercise authority without intrusion and make it more enjoyable for players and spectators alike. In that regard it was a pleasure to look at the video of the Scotland-France match in Edinburgh last Saturday and to see the way Alain Rolland handled that match. What a contrast between his performance and Dickson's.

In saying that, I am not just referring to Dickson's failure to act in the appropriate manner against Perugini. His handling of the match in general terms was way below standard. Rolland was refereeing his first Six Nations match and was absolutely splendid. He is assuredly set fair to becoming a referee in the mould of some of the really top-class officials produced here and in other countries.

But it is not only referees and players who have an obligation to the game to behave in a proper manner. There is a great responsibility, too, on coaches. In that regard the comments made by Italian coach Brad Johnstone on the Stringer and other incidents were astonishing. It was all down to Irish provocation according to Johnstone.

Stringer was the smallest player on the field last Saturday. His disciplinary record is excellent. In what way did he provoke Perugini? To say, as Johnstone said, that he deserved what happened last Saturday is pathetic and grossly irresponsible. Is it any wonder that the Italians have disciplinary problems?