The final whistle had gone and the players were shaking hands, brushing off the mud and wondering who would be first to set up a round in the bar when the unthinkable happened. "I remember sensing this guy was going to do something," Fred Howard recalled yesterday. "It was the expression on his face. He threw a punch and then police officers grabbed him. I don't think he was even charged."

It was October 1989 and Neath had just played the All Blacks and lost. The incident, almost unprecedented at the time, caused outrage similar to that following the attack on the international referee David McHugh last weekend. Howard's wife, in fact, first realised he had been threatened when she saw the incident on the evening news and rang Neath to see how he was.

This week the International Rugby Board will receive the report into the assault by a spectator on McHugh during the game between South Africa and the All Blacks, then consider whether to introduce measures to protect officials.

There is, however, a difficult balancing act to be achieved between ensuring the safety of the referee and touch judges and not prejudicing the spirit of rugby. The IRB is already distancing itself from some of the more extreme measures being suggested, such as installing perimeter fences.

"The relaxed atmosphere between spectators, players and officials is something we cherish in rugby union," said the IRB spokesman Chris Rea, "and we don't want to break that and react unnecessarily strongly if steps are being taken in the normal course of things."

But, he added, "we deplore the invasion and take it very seriously. There will be serious discussions about pitch security at the World Cup."

Rea believes life bans rather than fences may be the way forward. In another move the South Africans have threatened to have pictures of transgressors pinned up outside grounds to prevent them gaining admittance and as part of a "name and shame" policy.

Comparisons with soccer hooligans are not lost on Howard, England's former international referee. After the attempted attack on him at the Gnoll 13 years ago he has long feared that the lack of protection would lead eventually to a serious assault on a referee.

"At grounds in South Wales there was always an inherent threat from the crowd that you didn't get at the majority of English grounds. Before the game it was not something you gave any thought to but at the end you were always wary that some idiot will do something," he recalled.

"I remember one leading referee who always made sure he was near the tunnel when he blew the final whistle. When Neath played the All Blacks there had been no controversial decisions and, as I remember, it had been close until the last 10 minutes when the All Blacks won the game."

Howard added: "I think the unfortunate attack on David McHugh was an incident waiting to happen. Since the game has gone professional I have seen crowds becoming more aggressive towards the referee. There has been a definite change in the last five years or so. The crowds are more football-like. There is also a lack of social interaction between referees and clubs. The days of the referee, players and spectators mingling in the bar and discussing the game are gone."

Howard was on the international panel for 11 years until retiring in 1993 and now does work as a television analyst. He believes supporters are picking up on a lack of respect by players for the referee, with decisions constantly questioned. "The verbal abuse by players on the field and the constant questioning of decisions undermines the ref in the eyes of the crowd as well."

Pieter van Zyl, a 43-year-old businessman, evaded 419 security officials to attack McHugh, who had incensed the home fans at the Durban Test by awarding the All Blacks a penalty try and disallowing a South African try in a game the visitors won 30-23.

He has been banned for life from attending matches in South Africa and charged with assault. He was restrained by players and the Irish referee suffered a dislocated shoulder.

Howard stressed that, as in his day, the referee is largely on his own on the pitch. The McHugh issue means action will have to be taken and he advocated security officials to escort the referee and touch judges off. Obviously stewards should be vigilant during play.

And, as Howard points out, the assault on McHugh can only exacerbate the chronic shortage of potential referees coming into the game. It is a serious problem because, whatever the perceived failings of the man in the middle, without him there is no game.