Brendan Gallagher: Hollie Davidson leads by example

By any criteria, Hollie Davidson must currently rank as one of the three or four best referees in the game, with power to add, and it comes as no surprise she will be making her Six Nations debut in February when Ireland take on Italy.

Davidson is here to stay and, at just 33, hers could be a long career at the top.

Watching her recently in a variety of club and international games, three things impressed me above all others in her modus operandi.

Firstly, she is completely in charge of the TMO process, which puts her ahead of most refs.

Computer-like neutrality

She only uses it when needed and will not be swayed or sent down blind alleys by over-enthusiastic TMOs wanting to take over the process and impose their interpretation of what has just happened.

She rigorously goes through the process with an almost computer-like neutrality and, having used the TMO process rarely, feels under no pressure to hurry up. If a thing is worth doing, it’s worth doing well.

Secondly, she covers the ground better than most and never seems stressed physically or out of breath, which might seem like a minor matter, but I find reassuring.

Reffing is difficult enough at the best of times, but doubly so if you are fatigued, and it can be disconcerting hearing refs trying to catch their breath while making match-deciding decisions.

Brisk & efficient

And finally, and most importantly, she does not indulge in too much banter and unnecessary chat with the players, which is fast becoming a curse of the modern game.

Davidson is by no means unfriendly, and a smile is never that far away, but her countenance is that of a firm Scottish school mistress or perhaps a brisk, efficient CEO who won’t stand for any distractions and waffle.

There could be all sorts of reasons for this. It could be her natural style – in which case, bravo – or it could be that rugby-playing men are still, deep down, courteous enough to not engage in a public war of words or banter with a female official, all of which is now picked up on the omnipresent microphone and rarely does much credit to those involved.

Rugby pitches are not student debating chambers or a noisy Friday night pub in which everybody should feel free to chip in with their tuppence worth.

Refs have begun to indulge chirpy, pleading, protesting players way too much and anything – or anybody – who dials that down is to be warmly welcomed.