Continuing Education

TRRA Youth Referees Shine at Brazoria

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This past weekend, the Texas Rugby Referee Association was honored to supply the referee team for the Brazoria Spartans Youth Rugby Tournament held in Alvin, TX. This event was entirely officiated by U-19 referees, shining a spotlight on the young talent that USA Rugby has in the referee pool.

19 total youth referees descended on the suburb of Houston, TX, including six traveling cross-country on exchange from the Potomac Referee Society of the Mid-Atlantic. Ages of the youth referees ranged from 11-19, with many referees officiating players who were older than them on the day.

The tournament boasted 42 total matches – a mix of 7’s, 10’s, and 15’s – with age groups from 3/4th minis, to Middle School and High School. One of the day’s highlights included High School Boy’s Varsity sides competing in a round robin, of which 6 referees were able to officiate. 4 of the 6 had never before refereed at that level. TRRA Member Peyton Olivas (14) was one of those 4 [pictured below, left].

5 of the youth referees were brand new to officiating, having taken the L1 Referee Course only a week earlier in Houston. Texas Rugby Referee Association Vice-Chair Tim O’Gara was the educator for that course and the referee manager on the day. Colleagues reported, “Tim worked tirelessly to make this event happen. His passion for the number of youth referees to grow and for the kids to have the experience and support so many of us missed out on was palpable. This event was phenomenally run and officiated, and Tim was the cornerstone to making this happen”.

The youth referees were supported outstandingly by a skilled team of referee coaches, coming from all over the country and internationally to volunteer to coach the next generation. Fernando Garcia (Mexico) [pictured below, far right] and Phil Klevorick (Back10Pros) were an invaluable addition to the coaching crew.

The TRRA youth referees in attendance are now all eligible for selection to an exchange to Potomac Referee Society in late July, in an effort to grow the ties between referees both within a region, and cross-country.

This event would not have been possible without the support of the Katy Barbarians, West Houston Lions Rugby Club, Rugby Texas, Potomac Referee Society, Houston Youth Rugby Association, Lost Afternoon Rugby Luncheon, Woodlands Youth Rugby, Back10Pros, The US Rugby Foundation, and the Texas Rugby Referee Association.

Special thanks to the organizational efforts by Ken Fraine (Potomac) and Tim O’Gara (TRRA) who put the pieces together for an amazing weekend.

Photos by Macune CCS

Women’s Rugby Pathway Courses – April 21-22

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We’re so excited to announce that in partnership with the Texas Rugby Union (TRU) and the Austin Valkyries there will be a L1 Referee course and L200 Coach course in Austin, TX on April 21-22. Also that weekend the Valkyries are hosting HARC, Detroit and Chicago for round 3 of the USA Rugby Gold Cup competition. We hope you’ll join us for the highly anticipated rugby matches and participate in either or both courses!

Saturday April 21st will have the L1 Officiating Course. As a referee, Kat Roche recently moved to Texas from Florida may be a bit biased, but she commented:

Kat Roche - USA Sevens 2018
Kat Roche – Refereeing the in-goal at 2018 USA Sevens in Las Vegas, NV.

Refereeing is an incredible way to be a part of high-level rugby and get to travel and see rugby all across the country (and world!). There are so many different levels of refereeing and you don’t have to be dreaming big in order to take this course. Maybe you just want to referee youth games on Sundays – this course will teach you the basics of keeping players safe and the game fun!

Sunday April 22nd will be the L200 Coaching Course. All clubs must have a L200 certified coach in order to be CIPPed with USA Rugby and many clubs (especially women’s and youth) have problems filling these requirements. Now is your opportunity to get certified and begin your journey to educate and inspire the next generation of players!

Both courses will be fully attended by and run by women in the rugby community so we need YOUR help to fill them up. Hopefully we will keep adding exciting things to the weekend schedule as this program grows, but we need your help to do it!

Please feel free to email Kat Roche (katrref@gmail.com) if you have any questions.

Referee Course – https://webpoint.usarugby.org/wp15/Events2/ViewEvt.wp?EventID=2596&isPopup=&Tab=Event+Details

Coaching Course – https://webpoint.usarugby.org/wp15/Events2/ViewEvt.wp?EventID=2595&isPopup=&Tab=Registration+Info

Please share around with anyone that you know may be interested!

2017 Global Law Trial Webinar

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The recording of the 2017 Global Law Trial Webinar is up and available here for you to view, along with the video clips from the presentation and the PDF of the power point. You will also find a video from World Rugby and High Performance Referee Manager Alain Rolland covering all the new laws in effect for competitions this fall. Enjoy..

 

 

2017 – 2018 USA Rugby Game Management Guidelines

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Please review the newly released Game Management Guidelines from USA Rugby for 2017. Though the material is developed for referees, it is applicable to all stakeholders of the game including players and coaches. Please download the file and read through the updates:

2017 – 2018 Game Management Guidelines

As there are quite a few new law trials this time around, USA Rugby has also put together a presentation going over the trials as well as supporting videos:

USA Rugby Presentation on the 2017 Law Trials

Level 1 Officiating 15s – June 11 at Lewisville, TX

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Level 1 Officiating 15s Click Here to Register
Date/Time: Sunday, June 11, 2017 (8:00 AM – 5:00 PM)
Organizer: Lewisville Tigers Rugby Club-Boys
Clinic Details
Map/Directions
Registration Information & Fees
Clinic Description
Pre-course Registration Requirements.  Students must complete the following World Rugby online modules available at the World Rugby Passport website.  First, register with WR on their Passport website that you will access with the noted links.  After completing each module, download the certificate you will receive from WR and email it to education@usarugby.org where it will be uploaded into your USA Rugby member profile.  The three WR modules to be completed in order to register for this course are:
Location & Contact Information
Facility: Harmon High School
1250 West Round Grove
Lewisville, TX  75067
Course Host: Jason Tucker
Email: lewisvillerugby@gmail.com
Phone: (325) 514-7840

Register Now!

Level 1 Officiating 15s – June 17 in Austin, TX

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Level 1 Officiating 15s
Saturday, June 17, 2017 (8:00 AM – 5:00 PM)
Comfort Suites Austin Airport
7501 E Ben White Blvd
Austin, TX  78741
: Hosted by: Texas Rugby Referee Association
Pre-course Registration Requirements.  Students must complete the following World Rugby online modules available at the World Rugby Passport website.  First, register with WR on their Passport website that you will access with the noted links.  After completing each module, download the certificate you will receive from WR and email it to education@usarugby.org where it will be uploaded into your USA Rugby member profile.  The three WR modules to be completed in order to register for this course are:

REGISTER

World Rugby Global Law Variations 7s – Effective March 1

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The Rugby Committee has approved the use of the following World Rugby Global Law trials for seven a side rugby tournaments played in the USA and leading to a USA National Championship. These trials are to go into effect in the USA as of March 1st, 2017. World Rugby have approved their use in domestic 7s tournaments in the USA.

The original trial start date would have put the adoption of these trial laws into effect in the middle of our National 7s tournaments, and rather than change laws mid-stream we have opted to bring the law changes in early and operate the entire tournament set under the new laws.

Each of the law trials, and their specific law segment are listed below:

Law 5 Time

Add to 5.7(e) If a penalty is kicked into touch after time has elapsed without touching another player, the referee allows the throw-in to be taken and play continues until the next time the ball becomes dead.

Law 8 Advantage

Add to 8.1(a) When there are multiple penalty infringements by the same team, the referee may allow the captain of the non-offending team to choose the most advantageous of the penalty marks.

Law 9 Method of Scoring

9.A.1 (points values)

Penalty Try. If a player would probably have scored a try but for foul play by an opponent, a penalty try is awarded. No conversion is attempted.

Value: 7 points

Law 19 Touch and Lineout

• A player who is attempting to bring the ball under control is deemed to be in possession of the ball.

If a player jumps and knocks the ball back into the playing area (or if that player catches the ball and throws it back into the playing area) before landing in touch or touch-in-goal, play continues regardless of whether the ball reaches the plane of touch.

If the ball-carrier reaches the plane of touch but returns the ball to the playing area without first landing in touch, play continues.

If the ball has passed the plane of touch when it is caught, then the catcher is not deemed to have taken the ball into touch. If the ball has not passed the plane of touch when it is caught or picked up, then the catcher is deemed to have taken the ball into touch, regardless of whether the ball was in motion or stationary.

Sevens specific variations

Law 5 Time

Finals should last no longer than seven minutes each half (rationale is player welfare – the evidence shows that a disproportionate number of injuries take place in the second half of finals. Injuries per minute are higher in the second half of finals as opposed to the first half and throughout normal matches of seven minutes each way.)

Law 13 Kick off and Restarts

The restart kick must be taken within 30 seconds of a penalty kick or dropped goal being attempted where the kick is successful or goes dead. FK

Law 19 Touch and Lineout

Teams must form a lineout within 15 seconds from the time the referee indicates the place where the throw-in will take place. FK

Law 15 Scrum

Teams must be ready to form a scrum within 15 seconds from the time the referee indicates the mark of the scrum. FK

Law 21 Penalty and Free Kicks

A penalty or free-kick must be taken within 30 seconds of being awarded.