Reprinted from IRB.com
Referees to crackdown on tackles and scrums
(IRB.COM) Thursday 12 November 2009
Referees will crackdown on scrum collapses and resets
News
Ruling #3 of 2010 from the iRB
The iRB has made its 3rd ruling of the 2010 season. The Welsh Rugby Union questioned the referee's options if the attacking team kicks the ball into the defenders in-goal and it cannot be determined who was responsable for making the ball dead (ie grounding or into touch).
See the attached response.
iRB makes first 2 rulings of 2010
The Committee of Designated Members has made 2 rulings from questions by the Irish and Welsh Rugby Unions.
The 1st continues the saga of the evolution of the tackle.
The 2nd clarifies when a game can end... as a result of a brain cramp by a referee in a recent 6-Nations game.
Both rulings are attached.
The end of play..... France vs Wales
What do you think?
France was leading in the 6 Nations game against Wales. Late in the game Wales scored a try to make it closer. Following the try but before the kick off the game time ticked to 80 minutes. At the kick off, a French player (Michalak) dropped kicked the ball directly into touch (without going 10m). The referee blew his whistle for full time.
Right call? Should he have allowed the Welsh to have the option of scrum center, lineout at center or re-kick?
An Article on the Scrum
Below is an article published February 2, 20010 on the Rugbyrugby.com web site. It was sent in by Trveor Arnold of Rugby Canada. A couple of comments from Trevor are included after the Rugbyrugby.com article.
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At the National Referees' course at Newlands and the provincial Referees' course at Hartebeesthoek in January, scrumming dominated discussion of law application. Scrumming is one of the Big Four along with Tackle, Offside and Maul.
Refereeing Articles
Attached are two articles obtained through the Australian Rugby Union.
They discuss the psychological side of refereeing: control in a match and dealing with frustration.
Robin in Mongolia
The attached photo shows Robin and his daughter on a recent visit to Mongolia. They are paying their respects at the statue honouring Tsenga Tsmasha the famous Captain of the historic Mongolian team known as the original Barbarians. The team is not to be confused with the modern, wimpy team known as the Baa Baas. (Tsmasha was often heard to mutter "Baa Baas are what we eat for dinner")
Good questions
The following questions were asked by a member. While the questions were asked about refereeing a U-19 men's game, most of the answers apply to any game.
As referees we are usually governed by the Laws of the Game as set out by the IRB. However, in some cases the IRB delegates decisions to the local union. The complete BCRU Rules of Competition are available on the BCRU web site (www.bcrugby.com)
1) neither team had an official game sheet for me to fill in & sign, how do I know the correct score is reported?
IRB Ruling #9
The IRB has published their 9th Ruling of the 2009 Season.
The Irish Rugby Union asked the Designated Members of the Rugby Committee "Do the provisions of Law 19.8 (i) apply to Law 19.11 Exception 2." Law 19.8 (i) requires the team's receiver to be 2m from the line-out until the ball leaves the thrower's hands (ie the line-out begins). Law 19.11 Exception 2 allows the receiver to run into a gap in the line-out and do anything a line-out player can do (subject to the line-out Laws).
What's Your Call?
In a recent game, the West Tiddley Blues were playing the East Bogland Greens.
From just inside his own 10m line, the Blue's fullback hoisted a huge kick. The wind and fortunate bounces carried the ball to the Green' in- goal. The ball rolled through the in-goal. As it began to slow down and was just 2 m from the dead ball line, the Green's fullback (who had just completed a Introduction to Rugby Refereeing Course) placed one foot across the dead ball line, stretched out and slapped down on the ball with his hand.
