50-10

[Scarlet Al]

Green 50-10 Blue

Finished game on 65 mins. due to Blue being down to 11 players due to injuries and captain telling me they didn't want to play any more. Correct or incorrect?

 

[Davet]

As far as the laws of rugby are concerned if a side say they don't want to play you cannot force them. All you can do is follow competition regs and report as appropriate.

Do you have to report as abandoned? Does a committe then decide if the result stands?

 

[OB..]

In most competitions, a results stands after 60 minutes, but it is not the referee's problem. His only obligation is to state formally if asked the time played when the game was abandoned

 

[Ciaran Trainor]

I would have spoken to Green Skipper and probably ended the game whith his agreement, and just put the card in.
If he didn't agree you'd be in an awkward situation.
I suspect most would agree to call an end to it

 

[Dixie]

Al, I think you actions depend on the nature of the game - but as has been said, you can't force a side to play. In a friendly with nothing riding on it, speak to the oppo skipper, suggest that you all get to the showers ahead of everyone else and all is fine - no need to take anything further.

If it's a league game, where points difference may become an issue later in the season, then you owe it to the better side to act properly. That doesn't mean forcing them to play; but it does mean dealing with the appropriate paperwork according to the competition regulations.

 

[Scarlet Al]

It was a League game...

Quote from Blue captain: "We're just here to fulfill the fixture and not to get a fine so as far as replaying is concerned, we are quite happy that the result stands as it is..."

 

[Rit Hinners]

If it's a league game, where points difference may become an issue later in the season, then you owe it to the better side to act properly. That doesn't mean forcing them to play; but it does mean dealing with the appropriate paperwork according to the competition regulations.

With a score of 50-10 I don't see how continuing play could earn the victors any more points than they had already accrued.

 

[Agustin]

With a score of 50-10 I don't see how continuing play could earn the victors any more points than they had already accrued.

Many leagues look at points scored for and against to break ties in the standings.

 

[Ian_Cook]

With a score of 50-10 I don't see how continuing play could earn the victors any more points than they had already accrued.

Green may have been sitting on fifth place, and want to get into the top four to make semi-finals. They need a win with a four try bonus point and a winning margin of 45 points to overtake the team currently in 4th on points for/against. They would not want to abandon the match at 50-10 under those circumstances.

 

[menace]

...or offer the blue team a box of tissues and see if that helps? :sad:

I would be really disappointed if I was on team in a competition with the attitude of "we've had enough can we go home now"...you joined the comp..play the game and suck it up...and next year don't join the league.

sounds like a Arjuna Ranatunga/Inzuman al Haq move....don't like the way it's going so I'll threaten to take my team off! :norc: :Looser:

That's nearly as bad as leaving the golf course before completing your competition round just cause you're not playing very well and won't win. :nono:

 

[Agustin]

...or offer the blue team a box of tissues and see if that helps? :sad:

I would be really disappointed if I was on team in a competition with the attitude of "we've had enough can we go home now"...you joined the comp..play the game and suck it up...and next year don't join the league.

sounds like a Arjuna Ranatunga/Inzuman al Haq move....don't like the way it's going so I'll threaten to take my team off! :norc: :Looser:

That's nearly as bad as leaving the golf course before completing your competition round just cause you're not playing very well and won't win. :nono:

I don't know how it is in Australia, but here (especially in the lower divisions) it is not unheard of to have lopsided game results, and for refs to be asked to call the game early. I probably get such requests a couple of times a year.

It's generally agreed that if one side are well and truly getting walloped, the ref will call the game early.

However I'm not sure if I'd call it at 50-10. If you managed 10 points in favour, you're doing something right, and you can keep building on it.

 

[Davet]

The problem ni League games is that points difference can be vital at the end of the season, if x beat the poor side by 40 points and y beat them by 50 points then the extra could alter promotion prospects - and conversly if Poor team 1 got stuffed 10-50 and poor team 2 played a full game and stuffed 10 - 75 they could be the ones relegated...

However - there is no way on this earth that YOU as the ref can force them to play. All you can do is note the situation and leave the heavy lifting to the competition committee.

And if you did insist on playing on, and convinced them to do so despite their pleas that they were tired, demoralised and had lost concentration, and someone got badly injured... well work it out.

 

[menace]

The problem ni League games is that points difference can be vital at the end of the season, if x beat the poor side by 40 points and y beat them by 50 points then the extra could alter promotion prospects - and conversly if Poor team 1 got stuffed 10-50 and poor team 2 played a full game and stuffed 10 - 75 they could be the ones relegated...

However - there is no way on this earth that YOU as the ref can force them to play. All you can do is note the situation and leave the heavy lifting to the competition committee.

And if you did insist on playing on, and convinced them to do so despite their pleas that they were tired, demoralised and had lost concentration, and someone got badly injured... well work it out.

yeah we've had lopsided results but never seen an adult team leave the pitch early (not to say it hasn't happened..just never seen it)...I've seen junior games where it's a 100+ point differential and the kids still knuckle it out and give it their best to the final whistle.

I didn't say I'd make them play on...just that I thought it was a soft option on their behalf.

 

[Davet]

Yeah - don't get me wrong though, I've blow early when asked to do so...

One typical example was a merit table game at Andover 3rds several years ago - horizontal sleet in about a force 6. The Andover captain and his oppo approached me and explained that given the large score difference neither side felt that the game was worth continuing for the last 15 minutes, and that was I aware that hot water for the showers was limited, and that the 1st team game (Who'd got away slightly ahead of us,)was due to finish in about 10mins.... <peeeeep - eeep>

Hot water.

Bliss.

 

[Ciaran Trainor]

Hot shower in the winter is always cause for blowing up a game early no matter what the score is:Nerv:

 

[andyscott]

And if you did insist on playing on, and convinced them to do so despite their pleas that they were tired, demoralised and had lost concentration, and someone got badly injured... well work it out.

Err nothing to the referee :nono:

They both understood at the beginning of the game what the length of the game was. Common practice is to finish the game at the end of time, not when both teams have had enough. Also no one would force them to play, each member can stop playing at anytime, nothing to prevent them doing it.

 

[Davet]

Yes - nothing to stop them giving up if they want.

Andwhat I was saying was that you should not try to insist they continue.

My point was that if you did so then you would have some responsibility for the results of that insistance.

"we wanted to stop playing, we told him we weren't in a fit state to continue but he insisted"

Your defence of "well it was their choice", when you were in a position of authority, and insisted they carry on may not wash as clean as you think. Not even with adults, and especially not with young people.

 

[Phil E]

If a team wants to stop playing, then stop.

Write the details (score, time, reason) on the match result card and leave it to someone else to sort out.

Simples.

 

[Stuartg]

Let's not forget that we are playing a game. It's meant to be fun and enjoyed. In the big picture of life it is nothing even if it is a Level 5 League match. What is important is that 15 guys from the team that is getting tonked want to come back and play the following Saturday - if they don't then another 15 guys don't get a match. To sum up - the game and it's future are more important than one individual match and the result of one league table.

If a team is getting thrashed I ref it accordingly - winning side find their SH has lost any knack of putting in straight and their hooker often has his foot up; marginal forward passes become clear forward passes, opffside line becomes more severe etc.

 

[Davet]

Stuartg - is this a league game that you are talking about?

How does your admitted invention of offences square with fairness, and points difference etc at season end?