Here’s to hoping the IRB has the balls to schedule referee Stuart Dickinson for at least one of France’s 2007 Rugby World Cup games.

After France’s 42-11 loss to New Zealand last Saturday, the referee knew that he blew a few of the calls - as referees often do - and had the maturity and professionalism to seek out French coach Bernard Laporte to apologize for his errors during the two tests between France and New Zealand. Laporte is retiring after this year’s World Cup… but thanks to his big mouth there’s a chance he might not actually be there since the IRB has a little rule in place stating that coaches cannot “abuse, threaten or intimidate a referee, touch judge or other match officials, whether on or off the field of play”. This makes Laporte’s response to Dickinson’s apology a tad bit intriguing.

“If you are appointed to any French games at the World Cup, the French team will not turn up”

Well, that’s one way to accept an apology… probably not the way I’d go about it but it’s a way.

• Laporte complaint to be examined (BBC Sport)