Assistant referees

[Charlemagne]

Not sure if anyone has an opinion on the AR's I have been watching this for a few years now, the ball is kicked out and they call the line out nowhere near where the ball crossed the line, also if you watch the players they are complaining all the time, what is going on!

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

Not sure how you can tell on the TV. They would be getting a few wrong each game though (simply because it's pretty hard to tell where the ball crosses the line).

Maybe mathematicians/scientists could work out a way for the AR's to get it right a higher % of the time.

 

[Cave Dweller]

Not sure if anyone has an opinion on the AR's I have been watching this for a few years now, the ball is kicked out and they call the line out nowhere near where the ball crossed the line, also if you watch the players they are complaining all the time, what is going on!

The AR needs to assist the referee in calls so he needs to be inline with play a lot of times. So they are not going to stand back on the half way line anticipating a kick. It is impossible to get it on the dot but on tv some things may appear different than what it is on the side of the field. A huge kick might look big but where it crosses the line its out unless it lands in field again.

Players complain sometimes disputing who's throw in it is as sometimes a player touched the ball.

Tell me where this line out should be

 

[Riptide]

There are not going to get everything right. Frankly, I'd like the AR's to be just that and not glorified touch judges. Bring them into the field of play for set pieces (well scrums) and have them be responsible for the offside line. The ref has too much to police to get everything right.

 

[Dam0]

As someone who AR's most weekends, all I can say is that it is nigh on impossible to know exactly where the ball crossed the line, especially with the banana kicks that some players are using now to kick for touch. We do our best, but I am sure that if you had a protractor and half an hour to make every decision, you could do better.

It's not something that can or will ever change.

 

[Schadenfreude]

If you look closely, it's both teams that complain.

Even when they get it right.

 

[p.Tah]

Perhaps one day in the future they'll have a small microchip/tracking devise in the balls that doesn't effect the ball from a weight/ balance. They'll be able to tell where the ball has gone out, if a drop/penalty goal went through etc. They could produce some serious analysis of the game tracking the ball across the park in this fashion.

 

[Sully]

I believe we put way to much emphasis on what refs are doing. Picking out one or two incidents in a game and blaming the refs for the loss. Fact of the matter is refs do their utmost to be impartial and make just as many mistakes for one team as the other. To believe a referee should go through game after game not making any mistakes is unrealistic and if you ask them they will tell you they make lots of mistakes every game. We know most of the tops refs pretty well these days and should be able to play our game to the way they ref. Complaining about which referee you have for the next match is completely pointless and will make no difference at all come game day.

 

[Schadenfreude]

Perhaps one day in the future they'll have a small microchip/tracking devise in the balls that doesn't effect the ball from a weight/ balance. They'll be able to tell where the ball has gone out, if a drop/penalty goal went through etc. They could produce some serious analysis of the game tracking the ball across the park in this fashion.

That's not required. You can work it out with optics.

 

[Bardon]

Most Assistant Refs have an unerring ability to predict where the ball will go out even before it has been kicked. Either that or some of them are lazy and don't want to walk too far from where they were standing.

 

[Dam0]

Most Assistant Refs have an unerring ability to predict where the ball will go out even before it has been kicked. Either that or some of them are lazy and don't want to walk too far from where they were standing.

Nonsense.

That is the silliest, most ignorant thing I have read on GGR this year.

 

[Charlemagne]

As someone who AR's most weekends, all I can say is that it is nigh on impossible to know exactly where the ball crossed the line, especially with the banana kicks that some players are using now to kick for touch. We do our best, but I am sure that if you had a protractor and half an hour to make every decision, you could do better.

It's not something that can or will ever change.

Dam0
Not having a go at the AR's you guys do a great job and I know the drama with officiating being a cricket umpire but I was wondering if anyone else had noticed as the players seem to complain often, I do not really think it has much impact on the job.

 

[Dam0]

Most weekends I referee a colts or senior B game and then run AR for the premiers. I would say that it's pretty rare that anyone gives me grief about where I say the ball has gone out. Much more commonly its about something I have allegedly missed (ie a sneaky punch in a ruck) or something I have seen (ie a slight knock on) and tried in vain to communicate to the ref about.

I am pretty sure all players know that the exact point of where the ball went out comes down largely to guesswork.

 

[Ruggo]

As someone who AR's most weekends, all I can say is that it is nigh on impossible to know exactly where the ball crossed the line, especially with the banana kicks that some players are using now to kick for touch. We do our best, but I am sure that if you had a protractor and half an hour to make every decision, you could do better.

It's not something that can or will ever change.

I wish they could watch blind sides of scrums, straight lineout throwing and the offside line. That would be a good contribution to the game. Just be the Refs second eyes in a game where he may have a blind spot (only one set of eyes)

 

[Bardon]

Nonsense.

That is the silliest, most ignorant thing I have read on GGR this year.

Apologies for trying to bring some levity to the discussion. Sometimes I forget humour doesn't always come across properly on the internet.

I know that Refs and ARs do a very difficult job and I'm glad I'm not the one who has to figure out exactly where the ball crossed the line along with all the other stuff they have to watch.

 

[Dam0]

Apologies for trying to bring some levity to the discussion. Sometimes I forget humour doesn't always come across properly on the internet.

Oh right. My bad.

My sense of humour is often lost on the internet too.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Exactly Dam0. I'm sure some kickers have even been pleasantly surprised by where an AR has said their kicked ball has gone out as well.

One thing I've noticed over the last 5 or so years is that there is only a handful of ARs that are interventionist - I'm not just talking about stuff like YC type offences or off the ball stuff. I remember a few years ago being at a Super match and Dickenson couldn't stop communicating through his mic to the ref. he was very vocal in stuff like offsides, scrums, breakdown, high tackles - don't have an issue with all that. But it was interesting to see some of the stuff pulled up and some of it overlooked.

 

[Lindommer]

One thing I've noticed over the last 5 or so years is that there is only a handful of ARs that are interventionist - I'm not just talking about stuff like YC type offences or off the ball stuff. I remember a few years ago being at a Super match and Dickenson couldn't stop communicating through his mic to the ref. he was very vocal in stuff like offsides, scrums, breakdown, high tackles - don't have an issue with all that.

The last thing a ref wants, or needs, is a yappy TJ/AR. What they like is clear indications of infringements and assistance in areas they can't police, ingoal on the sides, late tackles on kickers, offside on the side the ref isn't, etc. I make a point of loudly marking 5 and 10m lines at scrums and lineouts, and call out when they're infringed. Most refs appreciate it, one thing they don't have to worry about. In fact, a strong case could be mounted for TJ/ARs to adjudicate on ALL offsides at the breakdown, al la soccer, as it's quite easy to get positioned on the offside line. I find players keep their distances carefully when they know another set of eyes are watching them encroach on the 5/10m/offside lines.

 

[elementfreak]

The last thing a ref wants, or needs, is a yappy TJ/AR. What they like is clear indications of infringements and assistance in areas they can't police, ingoal on the sides, late tackles on kickers, offside on the side the ref isn't, etc. I make a point of loudly marking 5 and 10m lines at scrums and lineouts, and call out when they're infringed. Most refs appreciate it, one thing they don't have to worry about. In fact, a strong case could be mounted for TJ/ARs to adjudicate on ALL offsides at the breakdown, al la soccer, as it's quite easy to get positioned on the offside line. I find players keep their distances carefully when they know another set of eyes are watching them encroach on the 5/10m/offside lines.

Depends on the referee. The more info the better IMO.

 

[Refabit]

I actually prefer to ref without comms gear. That way I don't have someone breaking my concentration at critical times. But I can still look to tj's for assistance in awarding tries or when I'm unsure.
And what is it about lineout throws that everyone gets upset about marginally crooked throws but scrum feeds that are worse don't get a passing comment? Does everyone really really want a scrum then a lineout each time? Thats what you'd get if it was strictly enforced. At community rugby level I give a wide tolerance for error and apply to both sides - the game flows.