Ex-Irish ref boss weighs in on Franco Mostert’s red card as official slammed for ‘coaching’ players
Referee James Doleman and an inset of Franco Mostert's tackle on Paolo Garbisi.
Owen Doyle, the former director of referees at the Irish Rugby Football Union, has hit out at New Zealand official James Doleman’s handling of Italy v South Africa.
The former international referee felt that Angus Gardner was spot on in his decision to send off Lood de Jager in the Springboks‘ victory over France at the Stade de France.
However, he has a contrasting view on Doleman’s decision to red-card Franco Mostert against Italy despite describing the lock’s action as ‘unnecessary’.
Praise for Dickson and Piardi, not for Doleman
Writing in his Irish Times column, Doyle was full of praise for the manner in which Karl Dickson handled potential acts of foul play during the Ireland v Wallabies Test in Dublin.
The English official quickly reached decisions and didn’t need multiple replays to do so, but the same cannot be said of Doleman.
He also hailed Italian referee Andrea Piardi for similar reasons, though he suggested that Ireland lock James Ryan was quite fortunate not to have his dangerous clear-out against Australia more closely scrutinised.
“Both Karl Dickson at the Aviva Stadium and Andrea Piardi at Twickenham delivered good performances. They were prepared to let the teams play and generally went about their business with no-nonsense efficiency,” Doyle wrote.
“Dickson, particularly, didn’t delay in taking full ownership of foul play. He made these calls quickly and without fuss, finding no need to repeatedly replay the footage. On one occasion, he took a single look, before declaring that he didn’t need to see any more. However, Ireland’s James Ryan might well have had a worrying bunker check for lifting up an opponent and dropping him head first.”
Springboks are world leaders in low, legal tackles and stats prove it, Rassie is right to be fuming
🟥 Franco Mostert’s red card.
Insane decision. #ITAvRSA pic.twitter.com/PskZt8S2hu
— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) November 15, 2025
He then turned his attentions to Turin, which he believes to be the worst match of the November Internationals so far and slammed Doleman for coaching players and not refereeing them.
“Earlier in the day, we witnessed the worst match of the Autumn Series so far. James Doleman was in charge of Italy v South Africa and, in the sharpest of contrasts with Dickson, he laboured long and hard in reviewing foul-play incidents. He also provided us with unnecessary commentary throughout – some of it bordered on coaching, not refereeing,” he continued.
“When it came to the straight red for Franco Mostert, I believe the officials got it wrong. It was a high-risk, unnecessary challenge by the South African, but the required level of direct head contact for the ultimate sanction was not present.
“Doleman’s modus operandi had the effect of slowing down the flow of things and contributed to a dismal encounter. People do not pay good money to see the referee occupy centre stage so often, for so long. It will be surprising if we see Doleman in the Six Nations.”
He concluded his column by looking ahead to the meeting between Ireland and South Africa in Dublin.
He wrote that Andy Farrell’s charges ‘will need everything they can get’ if they are to beat South Africa.
