Referees need to be able to demonstrate a range of personal attributes in the management of their games. Among these we can include:
Decision making accuracy
Reading the game
Communication skills
Game understanding
Game management
Law knowledge
Resilience.
All of these will be covered to some extent in this section.
Match officials use their knowledge and skills to observe the game situation in front of them, analyse the players’ actions, and decide if play should continue or be stopped. In the officiating process, the referee has to observe play, analyse what is going on and decide what action is required. Match officials follow three priorities providing equal opportunities for both teams.
Through effective communication, match officials should be able to prevent stoppages and increase the entertainment value of Rugby by allowing players to maintain the continuity of the game.
The role of the referee extends far beyond the once formerly used principle of being ‘…the sole judge of fact and Law during a match’ as written in the Law under 6.5 (a). The modern Game asks match officials to be able to encapsulate the demands of maximum athletic performance and the execution of fair and unbiased officiating.
Regardless of the level of the match, there will always be difficult situations on the field to make 100% accurate decisions for the referee. Referees are trained to make these decisions and they must appear confident, keep a straight face and smile, even when you are a little unsure of your decision. They acknowledge that they make mistakes and that there are close calls, but must stick with decisions and move on to the next phase of play whilst still maintaining concentration.
Everyone has a responsibility to create the right environment to allow the referee to perform as well as possible. To achieve this, the refereeing and playing communities have to work with each other. Referees need to present a positive image of what they do by taking opportunities to be friendly, good humoured, approachable and by being seen to be enjoying their role.When players, coaches and spectators appreciate the role of the referee it is more likely that the right environment will be created, not only for making difficult decisions, but also for the development of the Game.
Parts taken from:
World Rugby Passport website:https://passport.world.rugby/officiating/match-observation-programme/role-of-match-officials/
Ongoing training and development is key to the success of refereeing. In this section, we will look at various training techniques, resources and fitness testing.
REFEREE FITNESS
NSW Rugby Referee, Phil Baird, is a qualified fitness instructor. He runs fitness and training programs for a number of NSW Rugby Referee Squads. Phil has posted a number of fitness programs on the NSW Rugby Referees website.
These can be accessed at:
https://nswrugbyreferees.com.au/resources/referee-fitness-videos/
I commend these to you.
FITNESS TESTING
One tool for monitoring/testing referee fitness is through the Bronco test.
The Bronco was designed in New Zealand for Rugby players to test their Aerobic Speed and Fitness for the game.
Currently @beaudenbarrett holds the record with a blistering time of 4m12sec which he set @bluesrugbyteam training
In their first outing- the boys ranged in time from 6-10mins.
Losing weight and increasing aerobic fitness is key for getting fit and healthy, dropping #METABOLICAGE and living a longer, more vibrant life.
It will also DRAMATICALLY help improve Bronco times.
Let’s see how they go again in a few weeks.