Mike Titcomb, who was once rugby union's youngest international referee, has died. He was 75.
Titcomb was 32 when he refereed his first international, between Wales and Scotland in 1966. He took charge of nine more matches, spending 10 years on the international panel, and also officiated in Barbarians and club matches.
The Rugby Football Union, which announced Titcomb's death Tuesday, said the Englishman fell ill five years ago, but did not disclose any further details of his death.
"I first came across Mike as a player and there's no doubt about it, he was an outstanding referee and always enhanced the game," RFU elite referee development manager Ed Morrison said. "He was also an outstanding man, full of character and personality and he brought that to the field every time he refereed a match."
Titcomb's most high-profile match was between Wales and Ireland at Lansdowne Road in 1968, when he wrongly awarded a drop goal to Welsh scrumhalf Gareth Edwards that brought the scores level to 6-6.
The crowd reacted angrily, pelting Titcomb with fruit and other missiles and he needed a police escort to leave the ground despite Ireland eventually winning 9-6.
"When they ran out of missiles," Titcomb was quoted as saying in Wednesday's editions of The Times of London, "Irishmen threw other Irishmen."
Titcomb, who was from the southwestern English city of Bristol, is survived by his wife and three children.
