Why can't refereeing be fun?

Ian Jessop - A young ref couldnt take better advise than yours. It wont encompass all situations but certainly sets the tone. Unfortunately we have a surfit of refs who have no 'feel' for the game but just the rules. Andre Watson was the last ref I saw who had a genuine feel for it.

Watching rugby union can be very frustrating for the above reasons. So many of the refs seem to be English masters at private schools (or something similarly anal) - that old Tory discipline / rubber fetish is lurking just beneath the surface it seems. Massive insecurity complex!! Here's my philosophy when umpiring ANY sport: * crack down on foul play very early on * allow advantage whenever possible * communicate clearly to players and in a personable manner This will ensure a spectacle and that the game is played in the right spirit. I have seen many a dirty team change its on-field attitude - or even turn on itself - when the above rules are applied. Any teams that continue to play dumb or dirty are either of low IQ or culturally not inclined to believe in fair play. Either way they end up losing.

Hoy as an ex (as of this season) ref the thing that annoyed me the most was devious captains asking 'really' important questions when the opposition were hammering on their try line. The other points about clearing the ball after a collapse and the ball is available plus True Tahs pernickety positions for quick tap are deeply annoying and I think detrimental to the game and a bad reflection on the ref involved and therefore all ref's. The world is full of arrogant people and ref's arent immune from that. I have had players give me a serve for letting the ball go when it is available after a front row collapse, whilst the front row assumed there would be a reset. Work that one out if you can. You could add to the list of ref's annoying habits. 1. penalising one side and letting the opposition do the same thing. 2. Stopping the game too much. 3. Missing forward passes, incorrect scrum feeds, offside after kicks, penalising high tackles that are across the chest and missing head high shots. 4. Touchies (asst ref's - what a laugh) giving 10 metre gains to balls that go 30 metres then missing blantant foul play or coming on for a feather duster wave at the opposition. All in all the whole game is flawed. Thank god we love it, only a child of these parents could love it!

Hoy, one thing I really hate is where a team wants a quick tap and a player takes it quickly, only for the ref to blow it up, because the player did not take it from the exact spot to the centimetre where the ref pointed to...FFS just let them play mate.

I guess a thing that frustrates a lot of people watching games of ruggers is the constant resetting of the scrum. I hate it when they ref pulls up a scrum when the ball is at the no. 8's feet. What purpose does that serve? If the scrum has collapsed, tell the halfback to clear the ball, so everyone can get up anway. There are some refs who get so caught up in their own importance that they won't let the captains ask questions. These are just grade refs I am talking about, but that also ruins games for players when they can't question a decision as they should be able to through the captain, and it really does affect how teams play.

nice insight there westy..and david, totally agree.

I went to a coaching and refereeing seminar in Sydney a few years ago. . Sadly only football and league semmed to be represented. What I found interesting from both Football and rugby referees was that a good referee needs to get a feel for the game. The referees also made clear the responsibility of players to this feel for the game. Bill harrigan was very interesting . He had the league rulebook in front of him. He showed a tape of an Origin game. He pointed out 12 penalties that could have been recorded in 20 minutes . He gave none. he pointed out the innocent side on the whole had the advantage and that the offending player on the whole was making a serious attempt to comply with the rules or as he said the spirit of the game. More importantly was his golden rule if unsure let the game flow.Never ever guess. As to the players responsibility he said in most Origins he gave less than 6 penalties....yet he made clear if he interpreted an intentional pattern of misconduct than he wuold react giving over 20 penalties against Parramatta in one half for offside play. He believed that rugby referees often played advantage well in general play and had a better interpretation of forward passes. However he did say that they seemed to him to have a hesitancy to pull up clear forward passes. i have to say I have noticed this tendency recently. With all respect the Leaguies pull up some passes that I believe are not forward whereas Rugby has deteriorated with its forward passes. Not just in this test but over the Tri nations and recent tests I have witnessed some of the worst forward passes imaginable. It is actually below standard for a professional sport. The ability of rugby referees to play adveantage in general play is not extended to scrummaging . The referee basically blow for anything if he feels so inclined . It is here a good referee needs a feel for the game. far to often they do not know and commit the cardinal sin of guessing even if the innocent team still wins clean possession. Rugby referees with penalties at 3points a pop possess too much power in an outcome. They feel impelled to offer 3 points when a technical infringement occurs. The new ELVs attempted to reduce this power by only being able to offer short arm free kicks or scrum. I charge some international referees of not refereeing within the spirit of the new ELVs.Not intentionally perhaps but in interpretation. If a non offending team is in possession , attacking wait see what happens...in a scrum ...examine the surface .....wait until who wins the ball..............its hard let the game go ........a great rugby game is one where i do not notice the referee ...and the winning side scores more tries.

The best ref's are the ones that enjoy themselves... The best ref I ever had would not care to much if a player questioned his calls. He just told them to shut-up and play the game, all the while with a big smile on his face. Conversely the worst referee I ever had was a cop who thought the game was there for him. Andy Collins you were a TWAT!!!

Van de Merwe - Cant imagine what Bray has against you guys. You are all angels in my eyes. Asking for fair and consitent seems an almost impossible ask in this age of refs. Bring back Andre Watson is what I say.

Ja, Lyndon gets it right every time - except for when he referees a match with a South African team in it. As far as I'm concerned, a referee can look and speak as he pleases. Just as long as he is fair and consistent, I don't care.

How very true. Where do these guys get the idea that they have to be authoritarian to hand out authority as a ref. It is a better thing for players and the watching public if the ref treats it as an honour to be there with these young guys. I think a lot of them enjoy handing out punishment and act like a semi rock star themselves. Lyndon Bray is the best at controlling a game of rugby in my book.