The RFU run regular courses throughout Yorkshire to help aspiring youngsters, parents, teachers and ex- players become referees.
The courses are run over a variety of days/evenings and are designed to dovetail with your schedule. The modules are interchangeable between courses – meaning that if you miss a session – it can be completed at another venue.
For new or inexperienced referees, the Entry Level Referees Award (ELRA) offers an outstanding introduction to refereeing a game of rugby union and will equip you with the skills and confidence to do so effectively. The ELRA is recognised by the RFU as a formal refereeing qualification.
The RFU also run a course specifically for Mini/Midi which will provide you with a basic knowledge of the skills and attributes required.
If you would like to attend a course visit the England Rugby website which contains lots of valuable information on becoming a referee.
Notes of Advice
You will be provided with a mentor who will be someone you can discuss problems with in confidence. Remember – There are rarely new problems, just new referees!
The following notes are intended to provide further guidance:-
1. The referee is a part of the game – not apart from it
2. Be fair, firm and friendly, make the players your allies, particularly the captains
3. Take control right from the start and keep it
4. Make your decisions clear, so that the players know exactly why you have blown your whistle
5. Make your requirements known to the players early in the game and apply them consistently
6. Be physically fit and mentally alert
Medical:
Before the game: Check the medical facilities and ascertain who will deal with the medical situation in the case of injury. If no person is available the referee should leave the issue to the captain of the relevant side.
During the game: Make sure that any injured player receives attention.
Unless you are medically trained, or are a registered first aider, do not get involved with injuries. Make brief notes, including times, of serious injuries particularly with regard to foul play.
After the game: If a serious injury has occurred, you should notify your Member Society Secretary as soon as possible. Make a contemporaneous record immediately after the game. Be concise, precise and factual. This record of events could be particularly important if the player tries to seek compensation from the referee at a later stage.
Safety and Playing League Fixture
If a club wishes to cancel the match for pitch or weather conditions, it must try to obtain an opinion of a member of the Club’s local referees’ society as to whether the match is likely to be played or cancelled. A match should not be cancelled because of pitch or weather conditions without an inspection of the pitch by a referee or the agreement of the league secretary (or relevant organising committee in the case of cup competitions.)
When a late decision (i.e. within 3 hours of kick-off) as to the fitness of the pitch for playing a match is necessary, the decision shall be made by the captains of the teams involved. If the captains agree for the match to proceed, the referee is still entitled to decline to referee any match on safety grounds or other substantial reason. If one or both of the captains do not agree for the match to proceed, the match will not be played and the matter referred to the organising committee to decide upon what action shall be taken. Any match that is not played on the grounds that the pitch was unfit and for any other substantial reason, shall be notified by the home club to the league Secretary (or relevant organising committee) within 48 hours of the decision not to play the match together with the of the referee of the fitness of the pitch and the provisions of RFU regulation 13.6.11 shall apply.
Abandoned matches – weather conditions (to include bad light in the sole opinion of the referee).
Less than 60 minutes played – match to be re-played 60 or more minutes played – the score at the time of the abandonment shall stand. The referee’s decision as to the necessity for abandonment and the number of minutes played at the moment of abandonment shall be final.
Other reasons – irrespective of the number of minutes played, if possible move the game to another pitch, unless the referee deems it to be unsuitable or it is inappropriate to reconvene the match.
Touchline Management and Technical Areas
The RFU run regular courses throughout Yorkshire to help aspiring youngsters, parents, teachers and ex- players become referees.
The courses are run over a variety of days/evenings and are designed to dovetail with your schedule. The modules are interchangeable between courses – meaning that if you miss a session – it can be completed at another venue.
For new or inexperienced referees, the Entry Level Referees Award (ELRA) offers an outstanding introduction to refereeing a game of rugby union and will equip you with the skills and confidence to do so effectively. The ELRA is recognised by the RFU as a formal refereeing qualification.
The RFU also run a course specifically for Mini/Midi which will provide you with a basic knowledge of the skills and attributes required.
