I hope the following will provide colleagues with food for thought and help improve your refereeing of the game:  

The role of the referee is:

   to ensure that 30(+) players can play with safety, equity within the laws

           to create time and space to maximise opportunities, whatever their abilities

           to enjoy a fair, safe and equitable contest

 

Checklists:

 

The referee’s checklists – in helping to achieve the above, remember to set out your stall right from the outset and to be consistent throughout.

 The basics:

            Players are on their feet

            They are on-side

            Advantage must always give opportunities to the non-offending side

                                  Communication:

            Voice, signals and whistle – in varying tones and volume i.e. make your whistle talk too!

  To be preventative – how to penalise without having to blow the whistle

  To allow the game to flow – within acceptable parameters – ATP – Ask, Tell, Penalise – the ask is often in the           pre-match briefing

  To be approachable but not gullible – Captains only not open forum

  To maximise downtime to help get your message across, reiterating the points made in the pre-match briefing

  To be firm and calm

                          Scrummage:

 Get them level

 Crouch – Touch - Pause – Engage. It’s your call, not theirs

 Keep them a suitable/comfortable distance prior to the above

 Square and stable – they must be comfortable too

 Full arm bind and attached 'til the end

 

                                      Lineout:

             Has it formed?

            Two straight lines with a clear space

            The thrower – behind the line. The throw without delay – the jumpers wait til it’s in.

            A fair contest – priority anything untoward across the line!

            the threes back 10 til it ends

 

   Tackle:

            Get there/Be first there to see … then move to get the wider view

            The tackler to release the tackled man and roll away

  The tackled man to be free to place the ball as far back as possible and roll away

            All other players to arrive and stay on their feet

            To arrive through the gate

 

  Ruck and Maul:
        

            Know the difference and call it

            Check on those joining and then those outside

            Call “Ruck”

            Call “Maul”

            Having got there and seen it – move to get the wider view  

 Advantage:

            The best law in the book:

            Where is it on the field of play? Close to the non-offending goal line, midfield, close to the tryline?

            What’s the offence/issue – knock-on, therefore scrum or penalty kick? 

            Tell them - Scrum advantage; penalty advantage; advantage over

            Talk to them – signal to them – the key players need to know

            Tactical or territorial – wait and see. The class referee always has time! 

            Don’t call them back – bring them back

           

There is a difference between empathy and sympathy. The former is the trait of a good referee; the latter shows weakness.

 Fitness is both physical and mental – without the first the second becomes a struggle.

 Make your own checklists – use these. Go through them when training, when warming up, when pre-match briefing, at the next situation – tackle, maul, ruck, scrummage, lineout, kick, injury, etc.

 I hope the above will help focus your mind on the key issues. Physical fitness and speed of thought and reaction go hand in hand!  

John R Masters