Awarding a yellow for persistent offending

[Fatboy_Ginge]

Ok guys. First a bit of background. This is my first season refereeing in Junior Rugby, I also coach the U13's. I've been refereeing all the way through from U7 level though, usually with positive comments, sometimes with not so positive (depending on the club).

In last weeks match the away team kept playing / handling the ball at the bottom of the ruck. I awarded 10 -12 penalties in the first twenty minutes for this (only 25 minutes each way obviously). Then I had to blow again for another incident of handling. The release of the ball was fine, it was the player on the ground pushing it away with his hands or feet afterwards that was causing the problem.

I called the Captain over and said that it had to stop or it was going to be a YC for the next player to handle in a ruck. It stopped and at half time I spoke to their coach as well to re-iterate the point about playing the ball on the ground. He was happy with this and I also said about issuing a card for the next player.

The second half kicked off, the away team caught the ball, recycled it twice and moved it along the line. The centre was caught by the home forwards and went to ground placing the ball back correctly and released it. As the home forwards started to drive over the player on the ground then pushed the ball to the back of the ruck to protect it. I blew the whistle to indicate the penalty, called the captain over and the player, reminded them that I'd already warned them about playing it on the ground and produced the YC. This seemed to have the required effect as there were no more penalties for this offence.

After the match the away coach came storming over to me and berated me for carding one of his players. He also had a pop at the head coach for allowing me to brandish cards. When we were back in the changing rooms the Head coach also said I'd made the wrong decision and should have just asked the coach to sub the player. He also suggested that perhaps I should apologise to the opposition and re-assess my approach to refereeing (considering that he's been happy for the last 7 years with it). I point blank refused to discuss it with the opposition or apologise so there's been a bit of bad feeling this week between us.

Any thoughts welcome about the decision. If I got it wrong then fair enough but as far as I can see the decision was the correct one.

 

[Dixie]

U.13 away coach is an idiot. Surely the full size pitch, 15 on the park and the general step-up in play would have alerted him that he's not in mini/midi rugby any more?

In short, with the degree of infringement you encountered you had very few options. If you'd been doing, for example, a county U.13 (if such a thing exists; in any case a game where standards are monitored), you'd have faced criticism for not going to the cards earlier. There is a balance to be struck - U.13, the kids are well-behaved, rarely malicious, rarely employing gamesmanship and doing their broad best. But this is an offence that they are all well aware of, and it seems like the purpose was to negate a better rucking technique in the oppo. Perhaps not cheating per se, but simply failing to arrest that instinct to take action when you know you are supposed to be out of the game. You pinged, you pleaded, you warned, you sanctioned - and lo and behold! the offending stopped. I'm considered a close relative of Ghengis Khan in this regard, but my view is that if you need the kids to change behaviour, there's nothing like a card for bringing it home. If you'd pussy-footed about with htis, they'd be doing exactly the same at U.14 and wondering why they keep getting pinged off the park.

Home coach - dipstick! As it was a ruck offence, it's quite possible that this was the centre's inaugural offence. You'd had loads of them without the centre necessarily being a problem - how would subbing the player have helped? The problem was team offending - you needed to issue a meaningful sanction.

Incidentally Fatboy_Ginge, the action of the away coach is reportable, and he should face a greater sanction than a YC. His offence is far greater than any minor error of judgement you could be criticised for - his is straightforward and unacceptable abuse of a referee, and I'd urge you (strongly) to complete an abuse form and submit it though your club, who will pass it on. This sort of thing needs to be nipped in the bud in very short order - otherwise valued contributors like you will fade away from reffing disillusioned and wanting a better weekend experience, and he'll have no idea why he can't get a ref for his team.

 

[Womble]

First of all well done for doing what you said you would, (right or wrong it doesn't matter) but you may wish to re asses your "game management", For the sake of a cleaner game, if the ball is clearly one then let the players push the ball back with their hands, Yes maybe against the strict law but it will help the game flow. It aint easy and is a judgement call but try it this weekend. If it doesn't work, ditch it.....

 

[Fatboy_Ginge]

First of all well done for doing what you said you would, (right or wrong it doesn't matter) but you may wish to re asses your "game management", For the sake of a cleaner game, if the ball is clearly one then let the players push the ball back with their hands, Yes maybe against the strict law but it will help the game flow.

Womble,

Thanks for this and thanks as well to dixie.

As I see it during the game if the team in posession are clearly going to win the ball then I'll normally let it go. However in this match the home team were clearly better at rucking and about 60% of the offences occured when the away team were being driven off the ball. We lack bulk in the forwards so tend to emphasise rucking rather than mauling during training.

Dixie,

I've thought about reporting the coach but in this case I'll let it slide as I've had an e-mail from him since posting apologising for what he said. He's spoken to another referee who basically said that he was surprised I hadn't carded someone earlier for it. I've also forwarded it onto my head coach saying that I felt I'd made the right decision at the time and I now feel vindicated.

Cheers for the feedback

FBG

 

[crossref]

I would just add that you should have no hesitation using a card just because they are u13 . that's the whole point of being u13 .. Its junior rugby now.

Having said that u13s don't commit yc offences as often as older age groups so you don't see that many cards. But if its something you would card an adult for its usually right to card the u13

 

[gwadt]

Totally agree with Dixie! Repeated offense is clearly defined in the law and punishable by YC. If they were intentionally getting advantage by this practice, you did the very right thing.

Furthermore, don't matter it's U13. After all, do we want them to learn the right thing or not? Teaching is done by being gentle, patient and dedicated, but NOT complacent with fault.

In Brazil the Union issued some guidelines for 2013 reinforcing "zero tolerance" for repeated offense, no matter the intent. This is something that we must look for, as it can mean total loss of authority by the referee if we don't act.

About the coach, as Dixie said, it's a much heavier offense, to berate you after the match. He should be reported. Lucky him, he reconsidered and you accepted (no criticism - I see a clear act of good faith of yours).

All my best,

GW