Hi I'm a relative new-comer to rugby union, having being brought up on Rugby League. My eldest son (now at under 10's level) started to play union at under 8's and the love affair has started from there!!
So much so that I'm team referee, minis fixture secretary and have just started the latest rfu leadership academy course.
With regards to the refereeing, I've completed the entry level course that the rfu offer for reffing minis and have reffed games for about 12 months generally without any real issues.
I do have a question though I could do with a bit of help with. In some of the matches I've reffed a few of the players have been bridging over their team mate on the floor. On each of these occasions I've stopped the game and explained that the body should be supported through their legs and that the shoulders shouldn't be lower than the hips. Since then I've noticed some of the players rather than bridging the player are supporting their weight on the body of their tackled team mate, thus keeping their shoulders above their hips. Is this allowed or should I stop this practice as well? They are obviously being coached to do this but in the eyes of the law am I right in thinking that the players weight should be solely supported by their feet. and they should be self supporting and not resting on the tackled man on the floor?
Any guidance on this would be massively appreciated.
Cheers,
Phil
So much so that I'm team referee, minis fixture secretary and have just started the latest rfu leadership academy course.
With regards to the refereeing, I've completed the entry level course that the rfu offer for reffing minis and have reffed games for about 12 months generally without any real issues.
I do have a question though I could do with a bit of help with. In some of the matches I've reffed a few of the players have been bridging over their team mate on the floor. On each of these occasions I've stopped the game and explained that the body should be supported through their legs and that the shoulders shouldn't be lower than the hips. Since then I've noticed some of the players rather than bridging the player are supporting their weight on the body of their tackled team mate, thus keeping their shoulders above their hips. Is this allowed or should I stop this practice as well? They are obviously being coached to do this but in the eyes of the law am I right in thinking that the players weight should be solely supported by their feet. and they should be self supporting and not resting on the tackled man on the floor?
Any guidance on this would be massively appreciated.
Cheers,
Phil