All posts by Barry Tantaris

Referee Guidance

Referee Courses and Summit Weekend of February 8th/9th

he Mid-America Rugby Referee Society in partnership with the Mid-America GU will be hosting three rugby referee events the weekend of February 8th/9th in Columbia, Mo. at the Drury Plaza Inn

              February 8th:                    Level One Officiating Course

              February 8th/9th:              Coaching Match Officials (Two Day Event)

              February 9th:                    Mid America Rugby Referee Summit

All of these events are open to any new referee, existing referee or anyone interested in rugby and the impact that referees have on the sport.  The intent of the referee summit is to bring awareness to latest law interpretations, referee engagement programs, education and promotion information.

If you are interested in Coaching Match Officials please contact me directly as we may have opportunities for grants for the course, as well as, compensation for hotel during this event.

To facilitate maximum participation we (MARRS and MARFU) are willing to provide accommodations at the Drury Plaza in Columbia.  If you are interested please let me know and RSVP as soon as possible so that we don’t run out of available spots.

Please register for the Level One Officiating and Coaching Match Officials event here .

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me directly.

Laws, Referee Guidance

Clarification of Non-Engagement by Defense at Lineout

Clarification of Non-Engagement by Defense at Lineout

There has recently been a tactic employed specifically at lineouts where the defense will not engage in the maul.  The following recap by Richard Every highlights how this situation should be managed.

See attached video. The following is how to referee it:

DEFENSE NOT FORMING A MAUL AT A LINEOUT (as shown in this video between minute 4-5, https://vimeo.com/124988163)

  1. If the ball carrier is in the front (even with team mates bound onto the ball carrier):
    1. The team may move forward.
    2. Defenders may tackle the ball carrier.
  2. If the ball is moved to the back:
    1. The team in possession is required to get the ball out:
    2. otherwise a scrum will be awarded for accidental offside, or
    3. if they move forward they are liable to a PENALTY KICK against them for obstruction.
  3. The lineout is not over if the ball is still on the line of touch
  4. The lineout is over if the ball is moved away from the line of touch and defenders may come around to tackle ball carrier or play the ball.
WHEN A MAUL HAS FORMED
  1. If defenders voluntarily leave the maul, the maul continues even if no more defenders are part of the maul.
  2. If defenders fall off a moving maul the maul is over and the referee should instruct players to ‘use it’.
  3. If defenders fall off a moving maul but the maul immediately moves into the in-goal due to momentum and the ball is grounded by attackers a try should be awarded.
  4. If the maul legally goes to ground players are not required to roll away.
Also, the defenders (if they do not form a maul), MAY NOT LEAVE THE LINEOUT otherwise they are liable to be PENALIZED.

Richard Every | High Performance Referee Manager  | USA Rugby