Continuing Education

TRRA COG/AGM Summary @ Dallas Jesuit Prep 07/28/12

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For those that weren’t able to attend the 2012 Conference on the Game or TRRA AGM, please review the below summary.

Welcome by Jim Wolfinger and Traci Schmidtke ~20 participants

Law Quiz
Started with a 20 questions law quiz & review. Take a similar quiz at the IRB Laws website.

Field Positioning and other Key Points
We went out to the field and went over positioning with Ed Todd and Paddy Mac.

Key Points

15s

7s
Kick Off Positioning Near the kicker & in the best position to see the field, observe receivers, observe kicking team & the drop kick. Same, but be aware that you are always facing/running North & South in 7s. Recommended that you get a running start as the next play will often happen very quickly.
Scrums
  1. Once you blow your whistle, maintain eye contact with players & face the players; never turn your back.
  2. Once the teams have gathered for the scrum, focus on the gap between the front rows, initial binding, check alignment of front row players. May also re-inforce pre-brief with SHs (straight feed & maintain space). Recommended positioning is on the side where the ball is being put in. Unless there are issues there is no need to stand on the other side. Also check your back lines to ensure they are 5m.
  3. Once you & the teams are ready, begin the scrum cadence. Every word you say is a command & must be completed before the next. I.E. Let them complete the “crouch” or “touch” before moving on to the next command.
  4. After engagement. step back a bit so you can see the feed, scrum (flankers) & backlines. Positioning at this point is fluid as you follow the SHs, continue monitoring flankers & backline.
 Very similar, less people so its easier to manage. Some other points to consider:

  1. Props cannot bind on each other, they must bind to the hooker.
  2. The ball usually comes out much quicker, so the emphasis is on field positioning. Thinking ahead to where the ball is going to go next. This may mean that you stay on the “open side” of the scrum (where there is more space).
Line outs
  1. Set & manage the gap. Make sure everyone is 5m and within the 15m.
  2. If needed, manage your receivers and defending hooker.NOTE: a lineout is not formed until two people from BOTH teams arrive.
  3. Positioning at the lineout can be 4 different places. Typically at the front and back of the lineout. If you do move to the back of the lineout, be fluid & don’t turn your back.
 Very similar but commonly the lineout is monitored best from the back. Just like scrums this set piece will be quick & you need to be thinking about the next play.
Tackle/Ruck Situation Positioning for tackle/ruck is very fluid & can constantly change. Recommended that you position yourself where you can best see the ball, players & arriving players. Typically you want to face the defense so you can manage all the players.NOTE: Ed/Paddy weighed in on the Anchor or Sealing of the ball. Make sure to watch time 105:12. The final decision was to manage the player that didn’t roll away. This also coincides with the 2012 Game Management Guidelines. Same, but the breakdown in 7s is very critical. You must be at every breakdown to manage it. There is a lower tolerance for tackle & ruck infractions.Recommended positioning is on the side of the offense & facing the defense.

Fieldwork Video
Watch the T5 ½ video here. This is a private video, please email wyoung@texasrugbyunion.com to get the password to watch.

T5 ½ Video Presentation
Craig presented on the importance of video and the resources we have here in Texas. Review the presentation here.

RATO Presentation
Traci presented on the Referee Advancement & Training Organization (RATO). View the presentation here.

Referee Zone Presentation by Mike Geach
Zone Academy Plan Eligibility Criteria

USA Rugby Pathways
Ed Todd and Paddy Mac discussed the USA Pathways for 7s and 15s referees. View the USA Rugby Pathways here.

RATO Pathways
RATO has created its own pathways document (based on the above document) and it is viewable on the website and/or here. This is the document the TRRA will use for referee standards and promotions.

Harry Laws Presentation: “How to never want for referees”
View Harry’s presentation here.

Law 19: Touch
Sam Reagle presented on the ball going into touch.

TRRA AGM Minutes
View the TRRA AGM Minutes here.

If you have questions about the COG or the TRRA AGM, please contact the Vice Chair, Traci Schmidtke.

IRB Ruling 2 of 2012 – Quick Throw-ins and Time

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Folks,

IRB Ruling 2 of 2012

This addresses quick throw-ins and the question of whether or not the ball is “dead”. The specifics are regarding the return of a player from the sin bin, and the decision is that the referee may allow a quick throw even if there is a player waiting to return from the bin (with the suspension time expired).

I’ll point out that this is consistent with last month’s application of Law video (clip # 2) addressing offside players at quick throw-ins. In essence, what is said is that the ball isn’t really dead until the option of a quick throw is no longer available.
Enforcement of current Law: https://www.irblaws.com/EN/guidelines/5/enforcement-of-current-law-june-2012

Peter Watson
Chair, USA Rugby Law Committee

Referees Conference on the Game & TRRA Annual General Meeting (AGM) – July 28-29, 2012

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Conference on the Game

The 2012 Conference on the game is the single largest Referee event in several years and a very strong attendance is critical to our individual and collective success. We urge all referees in Texas to attend. All TRRA members (in good standing) are invited to attend, but need to RSVP (via TRU calendar) in advance to ensure adequate room size and lunch reservations.

The TRRA will be joined by USA Rugby Referee Development Director – Ed Todd &  USA Rugby 7s Referee Manager – Patrick McNally (Paddy Mac).

What: The TRRA will be hosting  a Conference on the Game on Saturday, July 28th.
Why: The event will focus on referee training, growth and development.
Who: All TRRA members (in good standing) are invited to attend, but need to RSVP (via TRU calendar) in advance to ensure adequate room size and lunch reservations.
When: July 28, 2012
Where: Dallas Jesuit Prep [MAP]
Time: Tentatively scheduled from 10am to 6pm.

You can also RSVP for this event on via the Facebook Event as well.

Annual General Meeting

The TRRA will hold its Fall General Meeting on Sunday, July 29th, at Dallas Jesuit Prep [MAP].  Meeting tentatively scheduled from 10am to 4pm.

All TRRA members (in good standing) are invited to attend but need to RSVP in advance to ensure adequate room size and lunch reservations.

Agenda items will be posted to the web accordingly and new business items and/or discussion item requests can be sent to jwolfinger@texasrugbyunion.com for addition to the meeting agenda.

What: TRRA AGM
Why: Annual Meeting to review the last year and where we need to be.
Who: All TRRA Members (in good standing)
When: July 29, 2012
Where: Dallas Jesuit Prep [MAP]
Time: Tentatively scheduled for 10am-3pm

Lodging for the Weekend

Wolfie has secured us discounted rates at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel by the Galleria. Please follow this link to book your room for the weekend.

Question or Concerns?

Jim Wolfinger – TRRA President
Traci Schmidtke – TRRA Vice President

TRRA Continuing Education #6 – Sevens: Offsides Player at the Kick Off

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Welcome to another edition of an example of a TRRA ref situation. This will be a weekly (or often) post that will cover interpretations of laws from TRRA examples. We will use the TRU Facebook Page as a way to discuss and unify our refereeing in Texas. Even if you aren’t a referee we encourage your feedback and answers.

This past weekend a situation occurred that confused the referee and the players on the field. At the kickoff after the team had scored a player on the kicking team was offsides. The referee awarded a scrum and play resumed. Was the right call made?

Answer:
Unfortunately this referee got close, but didn’t get it quite right. ANY and all infractions at the kickoff in Sevens are a free kick. Law 13.3 specifically applies to this situation and a free kick at the 50m should have been given.

Law 13 also covers kickoffs that do not go 10m, ball goes directly into touch or ball goes into the in-goal. These should all be rewarded a free kick to the receiving team.

IRB Law Changes – Summer 2012

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Folks,

There are some Law changes that just came out (and I am sure most have seen something about them). Below are some explanatory comments.

Peter Watson
Chair, USA Rugby Laws sub-committee

2012 IRB Law Changes
May 2012

This week the IRB issued a number of small changes in Law. Implementation dates vary – some go into effect now and others at the start of the next Fifteens season (September 1 or thereabouts). The exact wording of the new Laws is in the attached document.

These changes are on a Trial Basis. After some practical experience has been accumulated, the IRB will be soliciting Union opinions.

Effective immediately (actually went in last January 1)

Law 1 – The Ground
The two lines that delineate the beginning and end of lineouts – the five meter line and the fifteen meter line – are now to be dashed lines. Formerly they were dotted.

Effective June 1, 2012

Sevens Variations
Law 3.4 – Number of Players
A team may now nominate up to five replacements/substitutes and may use all of them.

Effective at or around June 1, 2012

Law 4.2 – Special additional items of clothing for women

Female players may wear cotton blend long tights with single inside leg seam under their shorts and socks.
This is pretty clear…if you are not female, don’t wear tights. Please do not ask me the rationale for this as I am not a mind-reader.

Law 4.3 – Studs
In Law 4.4, single-toe replaceable studs are prohibited. The IRB has approved, on a trial basis, one particular configuration of single-toe studs. It is shown in the attached document. All other forms are still illegal.

Law 9.B.1 – Taking a Conversion Kick
When a try is scored, the scoring team now has one and a half minutes (90 seconds) FROM THE TIME THE TRY IS SCORED to take the conversion. This is playing time, so if there is an injured player who has to be treated or removed before the kick, time is off.

Law 12.1 – Outcome of a Knock-on or Throw Forward
If the ball is knocked-on or thrown forward into touch, the non-offending team may choose the lineout (where it crossed the touch line) or the scrum (where the knock occurred). If they take a quick throw-in, they have made their choice.
And someone has already asked about knocks that go into touch-in-goal (or across the dead ball line). That situation is covered by Law 12.1 (c) and this change is not applicable in that case.

Law 16.7 – Unsuccessful End to a Ruck
This puts a “use it or lose it” requirement on rucks. Once the ball is clearly won and available to be played, the referee will call “use it” after which the ball must be played within five seconds. If not, it is a turnover – scrum to the other team.

Law 19.2 – Quick Throw-In
This change alters where a quick throw can be taken. Currently a quick throw can be taken anywhere from the place the ball crossed the touch line back to the thrower’s goal line. The change allows a quick throw to be taken anywhere from the place of the lineout back to the thrower’s goal line. The gap that used to exist if the ball was kicked out on the fly from in front of the 22 is now gone. [I suspect this will have a bigger impact in Sevens than it will in Fifteens, but not this summer.]

Law 20.1 – Scrum Engagement
This is the biggie….a change to the process:
Referee says “crouch” and the teams crouch (or remain crouched if already down).
Referee says “touch” and the four props reach out and touch and then withdraw their arms.
When the referee is satisfied that the front rows appear ready to engage AND ARE STABLE, the referee says “set”. The front rows may then come together when ready. This is not a command. It is permission.

Law 21.4 – Penalty and Free Kick Options and Requirements
This change is only for free kicks and penalty kicks awarded at lineouts. A team that is awarded a kick may choose to have a lineout instead of the kick. And of course they may also choose a scrum in lieu of the kick.

Changes for selected International Competitions. These are not for implementation at the local level.

Law 3.4 – Players Nominated as Substitutes
A Union may nominate up to eight replacements/substitutes.
[The USA is already doing this per the provision in Law 3.14.]

Law 6.A.6 (b) – Referee Consulting with Others
This expands the use of the TMO.
And here are some videos that may help:

Further to my letter of last week on the IRB Council decision regarding law amendment trails and law clarifications.

We are pleased to provide the following links which may help in the dissemination of the message:

Law Amendment Trials: https://www.irblaws.com/2012/

Enforcement of current Law: https://www.irblaws.com/EN/guidelines/5/enforcement-of-current-law-june-2012

Five Key areas of Refereeing: https://www.irblaws.com/EN/guidelines/4/five-key-areas-of-refereeing-june-2012/

2012 Changes with explanations

120517 CL COU SM AM12 Council Decisions – Laws

TRRA Continuing Education #5 – Tackle, Ruck, Clear & Obvious Calls, Scrum Wheeling, Obstruction & Foul Play

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TRRA Continuing Education for Referees

Here is another video from the team of National Panel Referees for review. This video covers a wide spectrum but reiterates the management at the Tackle & Ruck. It also touches on the “clear and obvious” calls, Foul Play, Obstruction and Scrum Wheeling.

Video: https://vimeo.com/38574917

Also, last week our post prompted some great discussion about Red Cards. It is a mandate that any Dangerous Tackle/Dump Tackle (tip tackle) should be dealt with harshly. With any dangerous tackles or foul play, start with a RED in your head and make a decision based on an objective assessment (as per Law 10.4(e)) of the overall circumstances of the tackle. We urge you to review the most recent Law Guidelines and/or Memorandums from the IRB on these decisions:

January 2011- IRB Memo: Dangerous Tackles (High Tackles)
August 2011 – IRB Memo: Dangerous Tackles and Dangerous Grasping of the Neck and/or Head

You may notice that these guidelines do not call for a RED or YELLOW for this or that, it is up to us as referees to know the 10.4 law and make an objective assessment (as per Law 10.4(e)) of the overall circumstances of the tackle.

Thanks,
Traci

TRRA Continuing Education for Referees #3 – Try or Not?

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Welcome to another edition of an example of a ref situation. This will be a weekly (or often) post that will cover interpretations of laws from TRRA examples. We will use the TRU Facebook Page as a way to discuss and unify our refereeing in Texas. Even if you aren’t a referee we encourage your feedback and answers.

This week we are branching out of the TRU and reviewing a video clip provided at the most recent L2 Course in Austin, TX. If you took the course and saw the clip, please refrain from spoiling the answer!

QUESTION: Try?
Do you think the ref got it right or wrong ? Would you have awarded a try ?

ANSWER:
Check back next week!

TRRA Continuing Education for Referees #2 – Points from a Free Kick

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Welcome to another edition of an example of a ref situation. This will be a weekly (or often) post that will cover interpretations of laws from TRRA examples. We will use the TRU Facebook Page as a way to discuss and unify our refereeing in Texas. This week we wanted to cover “Points from a Free Kick”.

Red player is awarded a free kick.  Red player taps the ball through the mark with his/her foot and then proceeds to kick a drop goal.  Drop goal is made.  Points awarded?

Red player is awarded a free kick.  Red captain elects a scrum.  Red scrumhalf passes the ball to Red #10 who kicks a drop goal.  Drop goal is made.  Points awarded?

ANSWER

21.6 SCORING FROM A FREE KICK
(a) A goal cannot be scored from a free kick.
(b) The team awarded a free kick cannot score a dropped goal until after the ball next becomes dead, or until after an opponent has played or touched it, or has tackled the ball carrier. This restriction applies also to a scrum taken instead of a free kick.

NOTE: the last sentence…. This restriction applies also to a scrum taken instead of a free kick.

To view all of the Q&As that we have covered, go here.

TRRA Continuing Education for Referees #1 – Not Releasing

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After a great weekend of rugby, Texas Rugby Referee RATO group decided to start a weekly (or often) post that will cover interpretations of laws from TRRA examples. We will use the TRU Facebook Page as a way to discuss and unify our refereeing in Texas. This week we wanted to cover “Not Releasing”.

Example: Red player was brought to ground, but was not held by the Blue Player. Red player did not release the ball and continued play. Referee penalized Red player for Not Releasing.

What would you have done in this situation? Allowed play or penalized?

ANSWER

The key language in the description is that the Red player was “not held” by the tackler. Since they were not held, they do not have to release the ball and may get up and continue play.  As referees our goal is to have continuous play, with promotion towards quick ball. We should work hard to quickly determine if a player has been held and/or tackled.  The definition of Law 15 makes this clear: “A tackle occurs when the ball carrier is held by one or more opponents and is brought to ground. A ball carrier who is not held is not a tackled player and a tackle has not taken place.”