First off, soccer is huge worldwide and there’s no single “soccer culture” when it comes to fights. What you find in South America is going to look different from different parts of Europe, etc.

Second, there is a very simple reason why the rugby ref gets more “respect” than the soccer ref: the soccer ref is a strictly hands off ref; the less he has to do to interfere with the match, the better. Not so the rugby ref, who is constantly shouting instructions to the players all throughout the match: when to let go of the ball, what to do in the scrum, etc. The kind of constant interference in the run of play on the part of a ref is simply impossible in soccer.

Put simply, the rugby ref has “respect” because he’s inside the heads of the players from start to finish, telling them how to play the game. He’s like their mother. You don’t disrespect your mom.

Soccer refs are more like an older uncle who lets you live your own life and only steps in to intervene when absolutely necessary. Because of this he gets no respect – because he’s not your mom, who does he think he is trying to tell you what to do, etc?

Apples and oranges.