This is Not Soccer... !!

Respect… or Anarchy ??

Many Soccer Referees use to covet the authority of, and respect shown to, Rugby Referees at all levels.

The iRB Laws of The Game empower our Referees and should encourage the necessary respect from Players, Coaches, Club Officials, and Parents alike to allow any game to proceed unhindered by the barracking of a Match Official.

Yet in some circles, at some Clubs, this seems to be changing...

Please ask yourself the following Question: Would you give up your Sundays and travel the length and breadth of the County to be treated to a torrent of abuse emanating in your direction from the sidelines... ??

No...!!

So why should they... ??

Too Many Referees are being lost to the Game because of Match Official Abuse (MOA)...

Weekend of Sun 12th November.

Last weekend your Local Referee's Societies received two reports of Match Official Abuse.
...One from the Senior A League, and one from the Junior C League.

...and the Referees in question have refused to accept any further Colts League appointments.

Apparently this is not the first time we have lost a Referee to Colts Games through MOA...

These particular instances of Referee Abuse are being investigated by the County Disciplinary Secretary, and will incur severe censure and sanction as prescribed by RFU Rule 5.12

The Culprit Teams, and even their Clubs, will now feature very low on the list of priorities with the Society Appointments Team when Referees are in short supply, as is now unfortunately becoming the case.

Your Referee Societies have the Full Support of the Colts League Committee and should a Team have no Society Referee available owing to such a sanction then that match may well be forfeit in the League.

Let's Stamp It Out...

Please do what you can to bring pressure to bear on any such verbose Coaches or Parents who you know to be guilty of this type of behaviour.

It is Not Acceptable and should Not Be Tolerated.

Barracking from the Touchlines can undermine a Referee's authority in the minds of the players and can ultimately lead to Young Players questioning a Referee's decisions likewise on the pitch.

Either way; neither is good for the Game.

Referees are simple souls; Human like the rest of us...

They interpret the Laws of the game, as they see them.

Most Referees try to apply the Laws with Equity. 

They are the sole Judge of Fact.

Question a decision and you’ll likely be marched back 10 yards {now metres}.

Questioning a free-kick may see it uprated to a penalty.

...and with repeated questioning or offending you will likely see a Yellow Card, or even Red.

When have you ever known a Referee change their mind... ??
...unless there are official Touch Judges for them to consult.

Arguing the Toss is Not an Option...

(...although some mouthy Scrum Half's will often try do develop a rapport of friendly banter with a Ref' which can sometimes appear to play in their favour).

Yet one of the most important lessons in any sport, and Rugby in particular, isn’t featured in any Coaching manuals.
It is often overlooked by Coaches, Managers, and Players alike…
How to ‘play’ a Referee.

Be nice to them.
Host them & welcome them to your Club.
Get them on-side.
Value & Respect them.
It can pay dividends... !!

Hope this helps and that in some way you can help likewise...

Regards in Colts Rugby.
 
Jon Kitchen - Chairman.
Halbro NW Colts League