REFEREES IN RUGBY

Hokitika Guardian, 19 September 1928, Page 4

REFEREES IN RUGBY

HULKS AND INTERPRETATIONS,

(Hy HARRY FROST in the Auckland " Star.”)

The task of the referee is never easy, Imt many 'factors combine to make his labours more difficult than is realised. Two of the loast understood rules governing Rugby are those dealing with offside and advantage, the former in particular being loss fully comprehended. Let mo quoto both. (1) Offside Rule.—A player is offside

(a) If he outer the scrummage from his opponents’ side. (b) If whilst the ball is in a scrumhinge lie, not being in a scrummage, remain in front of the ball or attempt to hook the ball out, neither foot being behind it.

(c) If when the ball is thrown in from touch he stand in front of a line at right angles to the touch-line from the place whence the hall is thrown. Penalty: Penalty kick awarded at the place of infringement. (d) If, in his own in-goal, he is in front of one of his own side who is taking a free kick or penalty kick from behind the goal lino, in which case all the kicker’s side must be behind the ball when kicked. Otherwise a player cannot be offside in bis own in-goal. Penalty: Scrummage five yards from the goal line opposite the place of in fringement.

(e) If tho hall lias been kicked or touched or is being carried by one ol his own side behind him. No offside player shall play the ball or actively or passively obstruct an opponent, or approach or wilfully remain within ten yards of an opponent waiting for the ball. Penalty: Penalty kick awarded at the place off infringement, or scrummage where the ball was last played by the offending side, at the option of the other side. If the hall or a player carrying it touch a player who is accidentally offside, the referee shall order a scrummage. i'O', Advantage Rule. —The releree shall not blow his whistle: — (n) When an irregularity occurs from which the non-offending side gains an advantage. In applying the advantage rule, tho referee is faced with his most difficult task, and one that is likely to bring him temporary unpopularity in the eyes of those who do not' understand its elasticity. Under this rule he has been given exceptionally wide powers, and when he handles it in the spirit which caused its framing, play is speeded up mid many irritating stoppages for minor breaches are avoided. The ad vantage rule has done more than any other to brighten the game, hut it is a hard one for the inexperienced to interpret. The young referee is naturally inclined to whistle the moment an infringement is made, and it is only 1)3" curbing this instinct to await tho outcome of the infringement tlmt he will justifv the scope of tlmt rule. “ SACKS ON TIIE MILL.” T should like briefly to refer to this undesirable feature, which is a nightmare to players and spectators. Somo of the sections of laws 10 and 16 have particular reference to breaches which lead up to the main troubles. The referee lias great scope for vision in dealing with the matter.

Jn my opinion, at the slightest sign of a hold-up of this nature, the referee, if unable at once to decide who is tho offender, should immediately stop the game and order a proper scrummage. Nothing whatever is to be gained by delay, and a considerable amount of friction may and does arise from a continuance of the 11 scramble.” REFEREE AND PUBLIC.

I am not one to deny that referees differ in tlio interpretation of rules, but much of this difference, I submit, is in some measure due to the criticisms levelled by players and spectators alike If they will but take the trouble to study closely the reading as quoted above, they will be led to greater appreciation and less unfair crticism. The whole attitude of the public to wards the referee deserves more than a passing reference. Generally this attitude is one at which none could reasonably cavil, but there are times when keen partisanship overrides sane judgment. Then a crowd is led to pass criticisms which are fair neither to players nor to referee. It has been admitted that this official is not infallible. Neither are the public, even though they do not like to be reminded of the fact. The greatest care is exercised by those in authority in choosing a referee whose qualifications befit the importance of the match, and it is not asking the public too much to bear this in mind. I'Vom his closeness to the game and from his power to select the best angle of view, the referee must see many things which pass unnoticed from grandstand or sideline, or which appear in quite an inaccurate light. One has only to quote the seemingly forward, yet perfectly fair, pass which the crowd misjudges from certain portion of Eden I’ark Then, too, the public loves the spectacular, even in a referee, but they may very easily underrate the effective work of one who has no gallery accomplishments. SPIRIT OE CO-OPERATION. There is no more pleasing feature about the Rugby of recent years than the steady growth of a better feeling between referee and players. Tbe latter, perhaps through their apprenticeship in junior football, recognise to an excclj lent degree the fact that his decisions should he accepted without demur, j Any reservations they make may ho purely mental ones. Supporters ofRugby must admire this spirit in which tho game goes on, even though there are occasional lapses. It is in the development of this unquestioning spirit of acceptance that our schools and colleges have played no unimportant part, for both heads and assistants do carefully inculcate into lads the finest attributes that are displayed on | the field. I TO THE NOVICE WITH WHISTLE, j To the young referee, the inexperi-1 enced enthusiast who is imbued with | the same spirit as that which lias led | so many to sacrifice their own time for j the benefits of others, limy 1 offer just j a few words of counsel? In the natural

order of events the junior of to-day will later he called upon to control more important games than those for which lie now officiates. It has ever been a common failing among both players

and referees for some to think that they are quite in the first bight, whereas they are a long way from that state of proficiency which would rank them in the highest class of performance. Therefore I desire to ask the young referee to pay some attention to wlmt I have outlined in these articles as the essential qualifications which are the stock-in-trade of a sucaessful referee. It may, in fact it does happen, that aspirants are not given control of those games which in thei: opinion they are fully qualified and entitled to handle, hut if they will re- I member that all are acting for the j good of the game, and not for tho special advancement of any individual, they will officiate ungrudgingly wherever they arc appointed, and find true pleasure in the realisation of service well performed. Personally I used to obtain as much enjoyment when controlling school games, or junior grade contests, as when 1 was in charge of more advanced games. In conclusion, let me again stress that tho labours of a referee are arduous, and at .times thankless ones, and

it is only fair to them that the public should be reminded of a debt of gratitude owing. Indeed tho final cheers might be accorded by spectators as well as players, 3’et how seldom does a referee receive any measure of thanks, although so often he deserves it. I have written these comments in the interests of the referee, for whom l have a genuine admiration ns a good sport, hut I do not feel that I have covered all the ground that such a topic opens.