Heated exchange as referee has to tell coach ‘Don’t you touch me’

Dragons beat Ospreys 20-5 in United Rugby Championship’s round 5 Welsh derby at Rodney Parade, recording their first home win in more than a year.

Hooker Bradley Roberts and wing Rio Dyer scored tries as the Dragons triumphed following Ospreys wing Mat Protheroe being sent off for a dangerous challenge after just 27 minutes.

The nasty looking incident, which can be seen in the highlights below, led to a fairly bizarre altercation between referee Ben Whitehouse and Dragons head of performance, Dan Baugh.

Chasing a high ball, Protheroe went in too upright which led to a nasty head-on-head clash with Dragons fly-half Will Reed.

Referee Whitehouse had little option but to show a straight red card, but not before former Canada international Baugh appeared to say something that Whitehouse felt was directed at him.

“Dan, Dan, Dan, Dan,” said Whitehouse.

“Come here. You ever shout at me… [interupted by Baugh] No, listen to me very clearly. You ever talk to me and shout at me like that again and you will be in the stand.”

Baugh protested, “I’m talking to my players. Ben, I can talk to my players,” then put his hand on Whitehouse as he tried to walk away.

“Don’t you touch me,” said the upset referee.

“This man stays off the field from now on,” Whitehouse then said to the sideline.

“He does not come on the field again, Dan Baugh. Thank you.

“Can you just make sure that the team manager does not let that man back on the field, thank you,” he added. “We will speak about it after the game.”

Referee Ben Whitehouse had to bring out the “Don’t you touch me” pic.twitter.com/TpnMsQVLcN

— Grant Constable (@GrantConstable) November 19, 2023

What’s Protheroe thinking here? A nailed on red

And a red for Dan Baugh for arguing with Ben Whitehouse and than seemingly trying to pull him back

That’s a man I would not like to get in fight with#DRAvOSP

— Ruck ’n’ Roll (@RnRRugby) November 18, 2023

Dan Baugh going to be in a whole heap of trouble for all that

— Mike Pullen (@MikePullen1969) November 18, 2023

I’d love to have seen a readout of Ben Whitehouse’s heart-rate when Dan Baugh grabbed him.
Cannot touch an official but that was pure terror in the eyes.

— Rob Williams (@RobW_48) November 18, 2023

It’s unclear at this stage if there will be any official repercussions for Baugh, but laying hands on the referee is certainly not something that can be allowed at any level of the game. A URC charge could follow, while Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan said post match:

“I was up in the gantry trying to figure things out and all I heard was that Dan couldn’t come back onto the field. I will look into it and try to speak to Ben.”