Respect for Refs..an interesting article

[hawktrain]

If that is right why don't they put their names on the back?

Because league players can't read.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

How about making it a condition of all Professional Contracts that the player must complete a Level 1 referee course, and referee at least 2 Junior games per season (injuries withstanding)?

The attitude to the referees across Rugbydom is driven by how the International Players treat referees. Correct the behaviours at the top of the game and that respect will flow down to the rootiest of grass roots. The converse is also true.

 

[rugbyskier]

We have a female ref here in Newcastle who ref's men's & women's games. I call her "Ma'am" which was drilled into me from my time in cargos. As a former team mate she hates it but I think it is the best one. I'd ask before the game just to be sure.

As a former RAAF officer I would agree with that one. Officers of higher rank were always addressed as 'Sir' or 'Ma'am'.

 

[Scoey]

How about making it a condition of all Professional Contracts that the player must complete a Level 1 referee course, and referee at least 2 Junior games per season (injuries withstanding)?

The attitude to the referees across Rugbydom is driven by how the International Players treat referees. Correct the behaviours at the top of the game and that respect will flow down to the rootiest of grass roots. The converse is also true.

In my experience, players that have done their referee's course and still kept playing are some of the harshest critics of refs on the field. My sample size for this opinion is VERY small, I know. But still, this has been my experience. They become the back seat drivers from hell of Rugby.

 

[hawktrain]

In my experience, players that have done their referee's course and still kept playing are some of the harshest critics of refs on the field. My sample size for this opinion is VERY small, I know. But still, this has been my experience. They become the back seat drivers from hell of Rugby.

As a player who has their refs ticket, I would consider myself a bit of a backseat driver when I'm playing, especially because I know a lot of the refs. I mainly just get a bit vocal if I think theres something illegal going on, but I wouldn't say I'm anywhere near the worst around, there are some players known for just spending half the game moaning to the ref. But after the game, I can look back and usually say they did a good job, even if I appeal for decisions on occassions and will always disagree with some things.

Having done the course has definitely made me see our refs in a different light, and I actually think I'm more reasonable now when I think about how the ref treated us. However, it also means I can tell when we're really getting a raw deal and conceding undeserving penalties, as opposed to when we're actually being ill disciplined, which means that instead of being a little bit annoyed by most games, I'm just usually fine with the refereeing, and occassionally fuming inside when I can tell we're getting the rough end of the stick. And when we get the majority of decisions going our way? Well, I couldn't admit to that ever happening, or it would lessen our victory

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

I have a lot of time for Brian Moore, and this is a topic I think is very important heading forward. There is a disturbing trend arising in rugby, at both grassroots and professional level. This is an extremely important article and every referee should read it. Because refs CAN stop this trend, and only refs (unions and clubs have routinely shown they simply don't have the power or desire to do it alone)

Referees have to take overall responsibility for this issue because only they can blow the whistle. They must rigorously penalise excess and be supported by all parties for doing so. No player has a general right to speak and captains should only be given the right appropriately, not any time they think fit. Anyone who says different has to tell us how the game benefits from allowing unlimited free speech.

And another key point he highlights is that the referees need full support from everyone else when they penalize for dissent for this to work. It really isn't that hard for players to leave referee communication to the captain. And any player with the time to repeatedly appeal for penalties clearly isn't focused on their job.

The way I try to see it when I ref, is that expecting anything less from players is an insult to their intelligence.

 

[yourmatesam]

Bruwheresmycar I agree with your point that the referee can control things to an extent on the field with the players, the real key to this is associations supporting their referees and unions assisting by publicly backing their referees. As a referee you expect 50% of players and supporters are never going to agree with your decisions, but I believe win lose or draw the referee should always be treated with respect.

At a grassroots level, its the mindless dribble coming from the sidelines that turns new refs away.

 

[#1 Tah]

I packed in playing for refereeing this season, and its been absolutely eye-opening and a fantastic experience. My behavior while spectating games has gone from "thats bull**** ref!" to "technically, that was actually the right call". Fortunately, years of watching breakdowns and rucks gave me a keen eye to spot anything out of the laws, but my hardest point was getting my positioning right - and as a ref it's one of the hardest things to do.

Another eye opener is how eager parents and spectators are to throw abuse at you while the game is on, but just as keen to give you and hand shake and wish you well done after. Saying that, private school parents (cough especially Scots cough) are the absolute worst.

Once I was doing a game and a parent kept yelling "offside sir" and I was sick or it. The next time he did it, I just yelled back "I didn't see it, therefore it didn't happen". Shut him up well.

It has also given me a newfound respect for international referees - they are probably just as fit as the players themselves, while being 5-10 years older. I have become a bit of a backseat driver, however my analysis (for lack of a better word) is not as one sided (For example the Aussies entering rucks from all over the shop this morning).

What does sick out is the fact that the IRB is willing to stand up for the decisions that the referees make, right or wrong. Thats what sets us apart from the NRL. After the NRL grand final when the refs went to receive their medals, they got a boo that would put the Waratahs crowd to shame. It was a disgrace, and we cannot let rugby descend into that. In 15-20 years, the NRL will have no referees left. How many league juniors are saying "gee, I really should try reffing"?

 

[Man on the hill]

Go and talk to any referee you know - the word I hear is that SJRU games are the worst (schools only a little bit better). It used to be Subbies in Sydney - but they took a zero tolerance approach - in effect if you are called into answer a call of abusing a match official, you are guilty! You then have an opportunity to prove otherwise, whereas with Juniors - the old adage of a little bit is OK persists.

Worse still the old hard head referees - there have to be a few in juniors on Sydney that are on the other side of 65 - can deal with and do deal with everything, but they forget that the next referee will possibly not even be shaving yet and have to contend with the same crap!


All parties have to draw a clear line in the sand and then vigorously cut this cancer out of the game.

 

[#1 Tah]

Absolutely. But it does all depend on where you operate and age groups. Doing 10s-14s at Woollahra oval on Sunday mornings is better than Centennial Park/Christianson Park on Saturdays.

Of course, never having been further west of Leichart, I wouldn't know.

But SJRU have strict rules about Touchies, Managers and Ground Marshals that really help out the ref. When doing schools, you will be lucky to get an assistant, the grounds are rarely roped off and there is less overall structure around the organisation of the game.

 

[thecow]

it is very interesting the difference between doing CAS and GPS games. in the CAS games I have refereed, the fields are always roped off, and more often than not you will get at least 1 accredited touch judge, and if not there will be a kid from either school who will run touch. In the couple of GPS games that I have done, the fields are not roped off, with spectators encroaching onto the field if the game is being played on the other side of the field, and no touchies whatsoever.

 

[hawktrain]

In the couple of GPS games that I have done, the fields are not roped off, with spectators encroaching onto the field if the game is being played on the other side of the field, and no touchies whatsoever.

Fields not roped off are the worst, as a player and a referee. One ground up here gets very muddy around the edges, and when people stand on the sidelines, as they do when theres no ropes, their feet + mud makes the touchlines impossible to see. Our school oval was never roped off for games, so on one side of the field you'd have hundreds of students lined literally a foot inside the touchline. One game we had a bit of a dust up with our opposition, and it ended up going over the sideline and amongst a bunch of our classmates. Even in the middle of the skirmish, with other players grabbing you and pushing you, I was still thinking 'gee this could be a legal nightmare if anyone starts throwing punches with all the school kids around'.

 

[boyo]

Like him or lump him, I like that Nigel Owens will tell a player to "pull their head in".