Worcester Warriors: Dean Ryan wants answers over refereeing trend report

After relegation from the Premiership in 2013-14, Dean Ryan brought Worcester back into the top flight at the first attempt the following season

Worcester Warriors director of rugby Dean Ryan says he is "dumbfounded" that Premiership referees have not been told about data that shows his side get more wrong decisions than any other club.

Ryan says a report from 2014 proves the case and claims Warriors are suffering similar misfortune this season.

"We are not getting the answers we want from the RFU [Rugby Football Union] refereeing department," said Ryan.

"We've been asking for an answer for two and a half years."

Ryan was angry after Warriors were not awarded a penalty try in the last minute following a deliberate knock-on in their narrow 16-14 defeat by Bath on Saturday.

He said the official match report supported his view of the incident, which merely inflamed his frustration.

"We totally understand the pressures of referees and this isn't to put the spotlight on that decision," Ryan added to BBC Hereford & Worcester.

"This is to look at, what we believe is, a two-and-a-half-year trend that has caused us problems.

"We're just asking for an equitable chance to compete in games - statistics suggest we haven't had that.

"I was absolutely dumbfounded two weeks ago to be told referees have still not been addressed about the problem."

The RFU's response

Worcester Warriors are currently one place off the bottom of the Premiership table having lost 10 of their 12 games so far

The RFU and Premiership Rugby issued a joint statement saying so-called "trend reports" are given to all directors of rugby and match officials as part of their "development programme".

The statement added: "The information in the report is kept within that group because the key objective of the exercise is for match officials to develop and improve.

"Clearly that objective will be hindered if the report is made public and statistics taken out of context.

"We would never comment on the contents of the report publicly as that would undermine the system and our match officials.

"We have a strong and dedicated group of match officials. Like players and coaches they make mistakes but the standard of officiating in Aviva Premiership Rugby is as good if not better than in any league in the world."

Analysis

Trevor Owens, sports editor BBC Hereford & Worcester

"Dean Ryan allowed members of the press to look at the trend report for the 2013-2014 season - the last time the Warriors were a Premiership team.

"Even to the untrained eye, the data appeared to indicate Warriors had been on the wrong end of more than their fair share of incorrect decisions.

"He accepts cynics will say he is only complaining because they are on a run of 13 games without a win, but insists the issue runs much deeper than this.

"Quite how the governing bodies will view this remains to be seen, but I got the distinct impression Ryan would welcome any conversation with them on the subject."