Referees Are Placed On Trial Too

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31079, 7 June 1966, Page 7

Referees Are Placed On Trial Too

The number of men, and middle-aged, who turn up week after week to referee Rugby games in Christchurch is astonishing. Last Saturday, 160 members of the Canterbury Rugby Referees’ Association were required.

The association president (Mr L. A. Mahoney) was at North Hagley Park in the morning, watching referees. Some of them were being examined—by the more experienced referees. “There are two ways of helping new and less experienced referees,” Mr Mahoney explained. “One is by examination—which makes the new ones, particularly, very nervous. The other is just to watch and advise.” Some of the referees, most not refereeing regularly, who form a panel of advisors with Mr Mahoney, are Messrs L. West, D. Cunningham and K. Noonan.

“It is only his third game, and he is doing very well,” Mr West commented about a young man refereeing an under sst 71b match. The association supplies line umpires as well for senior matches.

“Refereeing a needle match in the under-age, or underweight grades can be more nerve-wracking than a rep. match on Lancaster Park oval,” Mr Mahoney said with a smile. “On the oval, the spectators are behind a fence and a fair way from the ground. Round here, the spectators are practically on the field and, almost, on the ref.” Many Hazards The hazards of junior Rugby are not confined to the playing fields. Not only do players bump into spectators on the sidelines (even, occasionally on the goal-line), but small children, rather like dogs at cricket matches, are inclined to run on to the field and become involved in lineouts and dribbling rushes—to the indignation of the players. Crashes between wildly exhorting parents as they run back and forth on the sidelines are not infrequent. Coaches can take these knocks too. Going to Junior Rugby is almost like attending an All Blacks and provincial representative reunion. Wide Field The Marist-Papanui under sst 71b team in the C competition was short of several players for Saturday’s match —but turned out with 15. The players are meant to come from Papanui but the net was cast from Sockburn to Heathcote.

On the opposing New Brighton C team, D. Hunt, in the back of the scrum was the shortest player on the field, and the smallest. He was wearing probably the largest size jersey—he did not tuck it in, and it appeared at a casual glance that he was not wearing shorts. The lad followed the ball round like a terrier and at half-time his smile was wider than his slice of orange. Players And Teams K. Barry, first five-eights for Christchurch A in the under 6st A competition, handles well and takes the ball at good speed. He can run hard, and in scoring a try from over half-way against New Brighton A he changed his pace well and

swerved to beat nine players. His worst fault is in trying to go on his own too much and starving the backs outside him.

A hefty lock, and hard worker in the Suburbs side in the under 6st B competition, M. Butler scored by the posts and then converted his try against Bumside C. Butler keeps up with the ball but could use more weight in the scrums and rucks.

In the same game, M. Jago, the Burnside C wing, showed a good turn of speed. In • a game not noticeable for its high standard of tackling, Jago made a copybook effort. A Suburbs player broke right through the defence and had the Burnside goal-line open. Jago overhauled him, tackled him from behind, wrapping his arms round the player, ball and all, before bringing him down hard. The Suburbs under sst A team has not yet won a game, but has some good players. They are starting to get combination and could well prove hard to beat. G. Brown, fullback, D. White, centre, and G. McNamara, second fiveeights, show promise in the backs and are linking up well in passing movements. Both the breakaways, J. Neil son and N. Gascoyne, captain, have been in good form. Gascoyne scored six of his side’s first nine tries. P. Winchester, D. Carter, K. Silbrick and R. Hubbard are hard-working forwards all improving. The team is coached by J. Gascoyne, a well-known former senior player.

The Suburbs side in the under 6st B competition, after winning its first game by default, rattled on 73 points in the next three. It had another good win on Saturday and has not had its line crossed this season.

Two Factions Junior Rugby spectators are rather like young people at the country dances of yesteryear where the girls sat on one side of the hall and the young men on the other—and returned to their respective sides after each dance. The protocol at lower-grade Rugby matches is for supporters of one side to occupy one touchline, while the other team’s supporters use the opposite line—and never the twain shall meeting during the game.

One enthusiastic woman watching the Linwood B v. Burnside C match in the under sst 71b B competition, loudly and frequently exhorted her son. She was not only her son’s best friend, but also his sternest critic (coach not excepted). She resisted, with difficulty, a suggestion that she take the field and demonstrate how to carry out her knowledgeable admonitions. Wise Order M. Temete, the biggest player in the Sydenham B team of under sst 71b C competition, played a great game at halfback. His forte is picking up the ball in loose play and running strongly with . it. From 35 yards out, he ducked and dodged past six players then outpaced the Shirley fullback to score in the corner. Mr E. Marriott, coach of the Shirley team playing Sydenham, shouted an injunction which could well be used in grades up to the seniors: “Stop the talking Shirley, or you’ll get ordered off.”