Wade Dooley still laying down the law as he takes citing role

Wade Dooley, the former England and Lions forward, is to become a citing officer for the Rugby Football Union.

The 51-year-old, known as the Blackpool Tower during his playing days, won 55 caps for England. His abrasive play saw him chosen ahead of Welshman Robert Norster for the crucial Lions' Second Test against Australia in 1989 which enabled the touring team to go on and win the series 2-1.

That match featured an all-in brawl and other incidents which infuriated the Wallabies.

Dooley will be joined from 1 January on the panel of citing officers by former international Mike Rafter and ex-England Students manager Tony Lanaway. They will watch matches for foul play as part of the RFU's disciplinary process.

"It's an extension of what I have been doing for the past 30 years - it's policing rugby," said Dooley, who retired from the police last year. "I never minded the rough and tumble of the game but it needs to be a clean contest. Now with all the cameras, there is no hiding place."

One of the many stories about Dooley involved England prop Jason Leonard who, on the tour of Argentina in 1990, was given this instruction at a lineout by Dooley in the battle with the Provincial side from Tucuman. "Jase, I will hit my opposite number on the way up, you hit him on the way down," he said.