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PARIS - Whether on the pitch or up in the stands, there's no escaping controversy for respected Australian referee Stuart Dickinson.
On Saturday, the 39-year-old found himself in another no-win situation in the video replay booth at the Stade de France where he deliberated over whether or not to award a try for England winger Mark Cueto in the World Cup final.
South Africa, who won 15-6, were leading 9-3 early in the second-half when, after a break by Mathew Tait, Cueto went over in the left corner under challenge from South Africa No 8 Danie Rossouw.
Dickinson, called on by Irish match referee Alain Rolland, disallowed the try on the grounds that Cueto had gone into touch before placing the ball over the line.
"I knew it was a try," said Cueto. "As a player you get instincts and nine times out of 10 those instincts are right."
However, Paddy O'Brien, the International Rugby Board's referees manager, insisted Dickinson had made the correct call.
"It was an absolutely brilliant decision by the television match official," he told Britain's Sunday Times. "There is a great photo of his (Cueto's) foot just on the line prior to grounding the ball."
Dickinson is no stranger to on-pitch rows.
In July, the Springboks said leniency by Dickinson towards All Blacks captain Richie McCaw may have cost them a Tri-Nations Test in Christchurch.
The score was locked at 6-6 in the second half when South African Pedrie Wannenburg was sin-binned for not releasing the ball at a breakdown.
In his absence the All Blacks kicked two penalties and then added three tries to win 33-6.
But the Springboks complained that McCaw was guilty of the same offence yet was allowed to stay on the field, even though Dickinson earlier warned both captains he would not stand for deliberate infringements.
Johann Muller, the Springboks skipper on the day, said: "It amazes me that, for exactly that same offence, Richie McCaw wasn't sent off. And if that happened it would have been a totally different game."
In June, it was the turn of former France coach Bernard Laporte to question Dickinson's performance.
Laporte even confronted the Australian in a Wellington hotel lobby to complain about his handling of the first Test which France lost 42-11.
He also threatened to ruin the Australian's refereeing future.
An eye-witness to the confrontation claimed the Frenchman told Dickinson: "You do this tomorrow (in the next game) and you will be finished."
Dickinson laughed off the incident as "a storm in a teacup" and said Laporte had since written to him - in French.
"I've had the letter partly translated, and he has apologised, which is fine," Dickinson said.
- AFP
