Rugby sending mixed messages over referee respect but Mack Hansen ban fits crime

It would have been naive to think Mack Hansen would escape without a suspension for his comments on the refereeing of his side's defeat to Leinster just before Christmas.

In the end, the Connacht winger has been slapped with a three-game ban, with a further three games suspended. That extra ban will be triggered if he’s a naughty boy between now and the end of the season.

The reaction to both his comments and the subsequent disciplinary action have been mixed.

For some, the three-game ban is conveniently timed to end right before Ireland’s Six Nations campaign starts, while others believe the delivery of anything greater than a slap on the wrist is just the latest example of the game shooting itself in the foot.

Rugby needs more personalities, and Hansen is definitely one of them, but the idea that he should be given a free pass because he’s a 'character’ who is just speaking for the people is overly simplistic and obtuse. Panto-villain Rassie Erasmus has learned that the hard way - twice.

The overall message Hansen tried to communicate was largely correct: Connacht – and other smaller teams – don’t get the 50/50 calls that Leinster and the other big boys get, but the way he conveyed that message was inflammatory and went beyond the acceptable level of questioning decisions.

When you suggest a referee was a "16th man" for the opposition, or describe a decision as "bull***t", a suspension will be inevitable, even for those who might agree his comments are factually correct and/or entertaining.

What didn't help the winger’s cause was the size of the game and the timing.

On Christmas week the sports news cycle becomes slower than normal, and in the absence of any other major news, Hansen’s comments hung around longer than the