How fast should referees be in top level rugby?

[Nusadan]

Having just started refereeing and still not quite fully fit to run at top speed consistently, I now wonder how much should the top referees keep up with the play when the speedsters of today's game are obviously much faster...

A case in point can be found in the vid of Rupeni Caucau's first try for Toulouse earlier this year when the referee managed to keep up with the flying tank of Caucau...hats off to the French ref...

[video=youtube;v2NHlCMRxK8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2NHlCMRxK8&feature=player_embedded[/video]

 

[dudebudstud]

I've just taken up refereeing this year as well. I am certainly not in shape yet. I still have to do my practical (aka shadow a current referee). I'm hoping to use it to get involved in the game again and maybe get in some sort of shape that isn't round. The stat I heard is that as a referee you run 5k a game.

 

[AussieDominance]

Hi

I referee they say International Referee's need to get 13 in the beep test. Although that might be a difference measurement with the Yoyo test now about.

You also learn the game. That referee would have been trying to stay in line with the ball by running straight rather than diagonal like CauCau this takes off considerable time.

 

[fatprop]

I think like a good 7, a lot of it is the lines a ref runs

 

[Groucho]

The French have a long history of running.

 

[Scarfman]

What is it with Caucau and food? He's fatter than Merv Hughes. Bloke needs an intervention.

 

[Newb]

wing to centers... he'll be in the back row and then a prop in no time

 

[Groucho]

What is it with Caucau and food? He's fatter than Merv Hughes. Bloke needs an intervention.

He seems to get faster as he gets fatter. I think he has his own gravitational field.

 

[Jnor]

The ref looked like he was trying to tackle him, nice chase.

 

[Nusadan]

Let's get back into topic here...

Is there a set of official criteria for referees regarding fitness anywhere?

 

[Eyes and Ears]

Let's get back into topic here...

Is there a set of official criteria for referees regarding fitness anywhere?

Not really. The IRB usually undertakes some form of testing that involves an endurance test like the beep or the yo yo, a sprint test like 40m, an agility test and perhaps a decrement test like 8 * 40m on 30s intervals. 13 in the beep was not the minimum standard. It was the level to get full marks in the test. However anything less than 12 in the beep would get you a poor score. This testing regime was only for elite IRB referees.

In Aust, the main tests used are the yo yo, the beep, a 40m sprint & a 2.4k time trial.