Over the past two weeks I have had plenty of opportunity to review the performance of a number of our national level referees at the National Championships, the first two days of the Nations Cup and the Summer Games.  I have also been able to read very comprehensive reports documented by others on Joyce, Sherry and Karen performing at the Nations Cup.  As an overall summary I think that every referee involved can be very proud of their efforts.

 

I would also like to thank the mammoth contribution made to referee development during this hectic period by Brian Chatland, Mel Jones, Alan Hudson, Roger Swarbrick, Rodin Lozada and John Smith.  Of course it is also essential to thank David Herbert from the Welsh Rugby Union who also contributed to the Nations Cup.

 

During this period all of the referees involved had some after game discussions with referee coaches and all of you had a progress interview with me accompanied by at least one other person from the Match Officials & Laws Working Party (Alan Hudson, Mel Jones and/or Roger Swarbrick).  These discussions centred upon your progress to date, your developmental needs and options for assisting you with your development.  All of these issues resulted in specific and individual feedback.

 

There are two issues that I feel we need to focus upon as a group.  I would like these to become the focus of attention between now and December for the British Columbia referees and now through to snow arrival for the rest.

 

ISSUE 1:  When you manage the tackle, ruck or maul breakdown you have to know where the ball is located in the melee of players.  To do this you MUST arrive early.  As the ball relocates within the melee of players you must relocate in order to maintain your contact with the ball.

 

·         There are a number of you who are arriving too late.  Show me your “hustle” to arrive at the breakdown.  Too many of you are arriving so late that one (and at times, more than one) offence has occurred before you even arrive.

·         There are a small number who do not even arrive but rather stop well short of the breakdown and manage it from a distance of many metres.

·         There are far too many who arrive at the nearest point and manage that phase of play from this position even if the ball is on the far side and players are lined up to take the far side option when the ball has emerged.

·         There are far too many of you who arrive and then place your feet in concrete even when the ball relocates to another position within the melee of players and out of your view.

 

Given the above three points, what is your objective?  At every breakdown you are to be 100% certain you know where the ball is located.  Just as importantly at every breakdown you are to convince all 30 players, every spectator and the Referee Performance Reviewer that you know where the ball is located and you are reading how it will emerge. 

 

I have to admit you have lost my confidence that you know where the ball is located when you stand in one position and the ball emerges on the exact opposite side of the formation of players.

 

ISSUE 2:  Too many penalties 

 

My research indicates that there are far too many penalties in Canadian Rugby.  Let me give you but one example ............  an under 18 Summer Games match of 2 x 20 minute halves with 19 penalties or free kicks and three yellow cards.  Whilst a trend cannot be explained by but one example I can give many other similar sets of data.

 

Please note I do not believe that referees should accept the blame for this matter but we simply must accept we have a responsibility to assist in the process.  I have begun an across Canada campaign to address this by requesting that coaches, captains and referees take joint responsibility for this matter. 

 

For the remainder of 2009 I would like all referees to focus upon this issue.  In addition, it is essential for all referee coaches working with our national level referees to focus upon this matter as well.  Every time a referee coach reviews the performance of one of our national referees I would like a thorough analysis of all penalties and free kicks (plus red and yellow cards) to be incorporated in that review.

 

 

I am sending this message to a number of provincially based referee coaches and I am asking that every time they coach one of our National Panel or Focus Group referees that they send me a four or five line report on the above issues including a statistical analysis of this matter irrespective of the level of game being refereed.  I am also asking every one of our referees to incorporate this matter into their self analysis for EVERY game in which they referee.  

 

I am also sending a copy to Dave Herbert (WRU) as information on follow up we are taking from his input as well not that he necessarily raised this matter.

 

In conclusion, let me assure you all that what I witnessed over the past two weeks has been extremely commendable.  However, let’s not rest on our laurels.  Let’s ensure that the above two issues lead us all to being better referees and better performance reviewers.

 

Trevor Arnold