It is generally expected that you should be contacted by the home club you have been appointed to 48 hours prior to the fixture. They should confirm kick off time and shirt colours with you. If the match is being held at a ground you are unfamiliar with it may be a good opportunity to confirm directions and access to the club. You should confirm the time that you aim to arrive at the club, usually at least 60 minutes before kick off to allow time for assessments, briefings and equipment checks.
You may find it useful to record the phone number of the person who contacts you to confirm, in case of any last minute changes or if you’re running late.
If you don’t receive confirmation in a timely manner you should try to contact the home club using the contact details on who’s the ref.
If contact is not made with the home club 24 hours prior to kick off please advise the appointments secretary using the details provided on the committee page of the society website.
You may find it helpful to gather some context before a match. You can find the current league standings and the result of previous encounters by searching for the match on the RFU community match centre. Search for and select the home team, select the fixtures tab and click on the ‘>’ symbol next to the match in question. In the overview tab you will find head to head stats, information about the season so far and the results of previous meetings.
If you haven’t visited the location of the match before it is worth researching the route and travel time in advance.
It is your responsibility to ensure that your fitness and speed are sufficient for the level of game that you are appointed to, and if you have ambitions to referee higher level games you will need to improve them to match the level you wish to attain.
The Bronco test is often used as a representative test to gague fitness and speed for refereeing. Details of the test, and expected times can be found here.
The society will usually run a Bronco session before the annual federation joint training session at the beginning of the season.
Like fitness, knowledge of the laws of the game is your responsibility. There are a number of sources of information, knowledge tests and opportunities to ask questions:
If you have been appointed to a junior game it is worth reminding yourself of the regulations for the age grade, details of regulation 15 can be found on the RFU website. There is also a useful summary of age grade variations on the rugbyreferee.net website.
Similarly if the game is part of a cup or other non-league competition it may be useful to familiarise yourself with the relevant competition regulations.
It is recommended that you should have the following in your kit bag:
Branded kit, such as tracksuit, polo shirt, kit bag, jacket etc. can be purchased from Michael Hope.
As smartwatch apps are becoming more popular for recording scores and cards it is recommended that you should have a backup notebook or scorecards and pencils in case the smartwatch stops working or you need to record information for a red card.
Before you leave home ensure that you have: the address of the match and directions if required, kit bag and boot bag, water bottle/drink and snacks.
You should be appropriately dressed, first impressions count. There are two approaches to this, either smartly dressed (society polo shirt/top) or already in warmup kit, depending on your preference.
You should have researched the travel time to the match, ensure that you leave in time to arrive 60-90 minutes prior to kick off.
When you arrive at the ground ensure that someone from the home club (coach, captain, referee coordinator etc.) is aware of your arrival. It is also a good opportunity to find out where the referee’s changing facilities are if you haven’t visited the club before.
You should make yourself known to both captains or coaches if a youth game and get an agreement as to when you can inspect each team’s studs, deliver your brief and do the coin toss. Ask the coaches/captains what they would prefer, it’s their game after all.
Ask the coaches/captains if either side have a physio or medical officer present? Speak to the Physio/medical officer on how treatment will be run during the game.
If you have a developer or coach observing your game check in with them to find out their expectations, if they have comms kit they’d like you to wear etc.
Ensure you complete a warm up to get your body suitably prepared for the game ahead. As part of your warm up, inspect the playing area paying particular attention to post protectors, correct placing of the flags, quality of line markings and ensuring debris is removed from the pitch especially animal fouling (it is the home team’s responsibility to remove any animal waste).
Think about your match, what do you want out of the game? What areas of your game do you need to concentrate on, the scrum or the line-out or offside etc.? Try and focus on two or three key areas you want to work on, when you’re happy with those elements you can move on to focus on other elements in subsequent games.
There are two things that you must do before the beginning of the match, inspect the players equipment & clothing (commonly referred to as the ‘stud check’) and brief the front row players. It is also common for the referee to brief the captains and those playing in the 9 and 10 positions, you may wish to brief players in other positions or the whole team (especially if it’s the first time that you are refereeing a team).
When carrying out the equipment check there are few things you should look for:
After the equipment check, ask to see the front row players from each team (including replacements) to brief them on how you expect the scrum to engage and be kept safe. (This is the legal minimum required for the team brief).
You may wish to also brief the scrum half and fly half, other specific positions or the team as a whole.
Team talks are quick and snappy, players will not want you to spend ages with them dictating and narrating how you want everything to be. You should take the opportunity to ask if any of the players have any specific questions for you.
This is best carried out in the changing room before the teams meet for their final get together, alternatively immediately after the equipment checks and briefs on the pitch before the teams return to the changing rooms.
Make sure you have a coin with you!
This is the referee’s chance to get the captains onside and help with your management of the game from kick-off until the final whistle.
Ask the home captain to toss the coin and the away captain may call.
The captain who wins the toss has two options:
Make a note of who is kicking off and which way.
You should use this opportunity to build a rapport with the captains:
Now you have done your warm up exercises and given the teams the knocks on the changing room doors you are ready to head out onto the pitch.
Ensure that your shirt is tucked in and your socks pulled up. Appearance and first impressions are very important to players, spectators and officials.
The main thing is to relax and enjoy the game.
Check that each team has 15 players (if they have that many available!) Check with your touch judges (if present) that they are ready.
Check with both captains they and their teams are ready. Tell the team with kick off to stay behind their kicker.
Start your watches – Blow your whistle and prepare to chase the first kick.
During the game you will need to:
Once you have blown the final whistle you may be feeling a number of different emotions, remember to shake hands with both teams and coaches, thank the touch judges and medical support, before returning to the sanctuary of your changing room. Remember, you don’t have to talk to anyone or answer any questions on your decisions immediately if you don’t want to. The law requires that no one approach you for 30 minutes after the game. If approached say that you will answer any questions in the bar after you have had a shower.
Remember to stretch and warm down before enjoying your well deserved shower.
If you had to send a player from the field during the game check that you have recorded the circumstances, the score at the time, the final score, the weather and the temperament of the game, along with the essential information noted above. You can also let the discipline officer know that you issued a red card by text or a quick email so they know to expect your red card report (if not immediately this should be done within 24 hours). You will also want to confirm the players name before you leave the club.
It is expected that you will be smartly dressed for the post match hospitality, shirt and tie (society ties are available from the chair), society polo shirt, trousers and clean shoes are all appropriate.
Clubs usually offer a free drink and access to the player’s after-match food to the referee, but remember it is not compulsory.
Take the opportunity to speak with the captains, coaches and players to find out what they thought about the game. Talk to the players, some of the best feedback you can get is from front row forwards and their opinions on how they thought you handled the scrum. Referees of all levels and ability do this on a Saturday to help improve their own performances. Do not argue with players, coaches or officials. If issues can be resolved amicably and without major argument, then do so. It can be helpful to emphasise what you saw, keep explanations from your perspective, humanise yourself. Always remain calm and diplomatic, perhaps ‘agree to disagree’.
If you had to issue a red card to a player don’t be drawn into a discussion about it afterwards, even worse, do not express any opinion or state things like, ‘perhaps I got it wrong’. If pressed, state that ‘I’m sorry, but I’m not discussing it any further, my report will cover the facts’. If the sent-off player approaches you and apologises, accept it with thanks and incorporate what they said into the report.
When you leave, thank the home club captain/official for their hospitality.
You can expect at some point in your first few games to be watched by a match official developer or coach.
The match official developer is there for you and for your benefit. They will offer feedback on your game and check that you refereed the game in a safe manner and provide advice on what you may look to improve on next time you referee.
The match official developer should contact you prior to the game by either phone or email. On the day of the match they will introduce themselves to you before the start of the match and then will catch up with you in a prearranged location to have a chat about the game. Make the most of the time you spend with the developer, they are all experienced refs who have been in the game some time and have spent many weekends out refereeing.
If you sent off any player, complete the discipline form see discipline page for details. The form must be returned to the discipline officer by 1800 hrs on the following day, however if it is your first you may want to run it by the discipline officer before officially submitting it.
Never discuss anything regarding a sending off with anyone other than the discipline officer, if anyone tries to contact you direct them to the chair.
You may want to reflect on your game, but don’t beat yourself up for a poor performance, we are all human and will make mistakes. Take the time to consider what went well and what you would like to improve on next time. For guidance you can contact other referees, ask questions on the society or rugbyreferee.net Facebook groups, talk to your coach (if you have been assigned one) or garner the opinion of someone else you trust.
Record the Bob Stock Scores for the home club, a link to the online form to submit scores is normally found on the society Facebook group. This trophy is given by the Referees Society each season for the best scoring club in various categories.
We are a forward thinking Society and are actively looking to increase the number of referees available to cover the games throughout the Counties and support new referees to accomplish the highest standard possible at whichever grade they reach.
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