Twickenham last night re-emphasised its zero-tolerance policy on public criticism of referees when it invited the Newcastle rugby director Rob Andrew to submit any complaints he had about Roy Maybank, the official who took charge of the Falcons' defeat by Gloucester on Sunday, in writing rather than sound off to the media.

Andrew, in an outburst at the end of the game which was measured enough to make a disrepute charge unlikely, took issue with the stoppage-time penalty which earned Gloucester their three-point victory and said he intended to review all of Maybank's decisions on video.

Under new rules introduced by England Rugby Ltd this season, directors of rugby have the opportunity to complain directly to the manager of the elite referees department, Colin High, about the performances of officials. If their protests are considered valid, the referee concerned is called to account.

"Referees are accountable," said the Rugby Football Union's performance director Chris Spice. "We have put the machinery in place for directors of rugby to make known their views about the performances of officials, if Rob Andrew or anyone else submits a complaint it will be looked at immediately and action taken if it is warranted."

Last season, the then Bristol rugby director Dean Ryan and the Leicester chief executive Peter Wheeler made critical comments about referees in the media and were fined four-figure sums. ERL is still drawing up a code of conduct which will clearly define the 'bringing the game into disrepute' charge, but the organisation which represents the clubs, Premier Rugby, agrees with Twickenham's uncompromising stance on public outbursts against referees.

"It is very difficult for directors of rugby when they are asked to comment on incidents 20 minutes after the end of the match," said the Premier Rugby chief executive Howard Thomas. "There are internal channels for them to now go through regarding referees and it is always better for them to watch a tape of a match before making comments.

"Rob was controlled in what he said after the Gloucester game and the point he made about the final penalty was valid. He was concerned that his player was blown up for holding on to the ball, but the directive this season is that referees will first look to ensure that the tackler has rolled out of the way and is not preventing the release of the ball."

Maybank is the latest of the five full-time referees to be ap pointed by the RFU with a sixth expected to be named in the coming months.

Another referee, Steve Leyshon, will be in the spotlight tonight when the Bath and England second row Danny Grewcock faces a disciplinary committee after being sent off for allegedly kicking Kyran Bracken during the defeat at Saracens last week.

Grewcock faces a ban of up to 12 weeks if the three-man panel upholds Leyshon's decision but Bracken will speak on the lock's behalf, to the relief of the England manager Clive Woodward who wants Grewcock to be available for the November internationals.

In Wales, another working party has been set up to look into the professional game. Made up of four representatives from the leading clubs and the Welsh Rugby Union, it will consider how many clubs should be funded from next season.