By Andrew Reynolds

Let’s be honest we as supporters like nothing better than telling the match officials the error of their ways or what they have missed, but as soon as the game is over shouldn't we be focusing on the rugby?

Sadly at the moment in the Championship 24, 48 hours or longer after the game is over the numerous message boards associated with each club are full of comments about the standard or the match officials.

The RFU have repeatedly said it has identified the importance of the Championship to develop the next generation of international players, many clubs have forged links for the loan of players, Leicester with Nottingham, Cornish Pirates with Exeter and Saracens with Bedford. Look at the England team which faced Ireland, 18 months ago Owen Farrell was playing for Bedford, Dan Cole, Mouritz Botha also learnt their trade on the Goldington Road Pitch. Most of the England A players have played in the Championship.

In all sports we repeatedly hear the word ‘Consistency’ that’s all players and coaches ask for, week in week out we should all know how a game is going to be officiated, I suggest at the moment that we don’t know from one half to the next.

Do I blame the officials, of course they are human and all make mistakes but we all accept this, so no I blame the structure within the RFU. Whilst the gap between the top clubs in the Championship and the bottom in the Premiership has significantly narrowed the standard of officials has grown in the wrong direction.

The last two weekends have seen the start of the Championship play offs, players, coaching staff and in some cases clubs destinies will be decided, there have been no Premiership games so where did all the officials go? Why weren’t these officials involved with the lower leagues? Not as a referee but as a touch judge they can talk to the referee and coach them through the game this will no doubt help develop the next wave of Premiership or International officials?

In a similar vain to Cricket Umpires it appears that once officials reach a certain age they are banished to the TV van as TV Match Officials. Those I have spoken to have no interest in this, they want to be involved with the crowd and players, why don’t the RFU use these people with 30-40 years’ experience more? Most are fitter than me and can run touch with no problem? Or why not move them to the Championship 5 or 10 years before they have to retire?

I recently attended a Q and A session with Dean Richards, he was asked about the difference in Referring between the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. He was full of ideas as to how to get the same Consistency across the globe. It looks like he will be in the Championship for at least one season with Newcastle and it will be very interesting to hear his views after this season.

Will the RFU listen to my humble views as a loan supporter I doubt it, but wouldn’t it be good to get all Directors of Rugby together in the Premiership and Championship with the Officials and formulate some sort of closer working relationship. Then all the talk will be on the quality of rugby played, which is all that the players, coaches and supports want!

Follow Andrew on Twitter @mrandyreynolds