Being taken out

[Chickref]

Yesterday I was TJing, and got hit by a very large player, causing not insignificant knee damage (today it looks epic, blue and red and puffy.)

The crowd was roped back, but the roped area was small, and the crowd pushed it forward. There was simply nowhere to go when this guy slid over the touch. The ref who came to replace me also got knocked over later in the game.

How do you avoid being collected by a player, especially when the roped area is small, full of team personnel, or non existent?

 

[Simon Thomas]

1. Get the match organisers to provide a decent 5-10m roped channel for ARs.

2. Apply IRB Regs - only one physio and two water carriers inside rope - everyone else outside.

3. Keep out of the way - lead / trail and anticpate where the ball and players are going (natural skill of all scrum halves to keep out of the way :wink: .)

 

[Chickref]

5-10 metres would have put the spectators down the hill and onto the #2 pitch... I don't know whether the reserves are allowed inside the rope but they tend to lurk there.

And if I'd been behind the play I wouldn't have been hit, I was a couple meters ahead and had turned to see if the player had stepped out when he was tackled from behind straight into me.

 

[Phil E]

I am 6' 8" and used to be a county high jumper.

I have vaulted over incoming players when I have had to (imagine a baby giraffe doing the high jump :biggrin: ). Not something everyone can do I realise.

Best advice is Simon's. Lead or trail so that you can see down the line, but are not part of the action.......and stay on your toes.

In your instance I might have grabbed a small spectator and thrown them into the players path as a human shield :wow:

 

[Chickref]

The only other time Ive worn it I had a choice between getting cleaned out and shoving over the ball boy... Im too nice.

 

[sgoat]

And if I'd been behind the play I wouldn't have been hit, I was a couple meters ahead and had turned to see if the player had stepped out when he was tackled from behind straight into me.

Well there be your answer then. If you are 2m from where the guy went in to touch you are far too close.

Positioning is the same as refereeing, you want to give yourself the best view of what is going on. Being close to or in line with the play does not give you the view you need. You probably only want to get in front if you can get in-goal early and you can then get the player coming in. If not, trailing you can see when they step out, and you can see the guy coming across to tackle him.

 

[Simon Thomas]

ChickRef, as I said in my previous post

3. Keep out of the way - lead / trail and anticpate where the ball and players are going

Just a couple of metres ahead of play |(where you getting in goal by corener flag ?) is far too close to have a "wide angle view" - if play is on your touchline, trailing 5-8m is a far better place to be.

 

[andyscott]

Yesterday I was TJing, and got hit by a very large player, causing not insignificant knee damage (today it looks epic, blue and red and puffy.)

The crowd was roped back, but the roped area was small, and the crowd pushed it forward. There was simply nowhere to go when this guy slid over the touch. The ref who came to replace me also got knocked over later in the game.

How do you avoid being collected by a player, especially when the roped area is small, full of team personnel, or non existent?

Sue the match organisers/club

That way the message will finally get across to the clubs that it should be taken seriously.

 

[Chickref]

ChickRef, as I said in my previous post

3. Keep out of the way - lead / trail and anticpate where the ball and players are going

Just a couple of metres ahead of play |(where you getting in goal by corener flag ?) is far too close to have a "wide angle view" - if play is on your touchline, trailing 5-8m is a far better place to be.

It was inside the 22, where I much prefer to be ahead of play, rather than behind it, because it gives me an angle the ref doesn't see, and allows me to get in goal quicker. 5-8 metres behind would be a great distance to ensure I saw zip, because the sideline lurkers/crowd* would get in the road. 2-3 metres behind, max.

*ORFU say only a ground hosting a prem 1 game has to be roped at all. Which is not fun times.

 

[Simon Thomas]

because the sideline lurkers/crowd* would get in the road. 2-3 metres behind, max.

*ORFU say only a ground hosting a prem 1 game has to be roped at all. Which is not fun times.

After two ARs have had collisions in one match, I would not allow us to appoint ARs in such circumstances and would demand Union made 5m ropes madatory for all matches with appointed ARs.

Being unable to run as AR correctly due to crowd encroachment makes it a waste of time.

 

[Jacko]

Absolute opposite for me yesterday down in Kent. Ball stolen at a line out so I was out of position so got on my bike to get back where I wanted to be. Scrum half steps in front of me - no time to go round him so I drop my shoulder and go straight through. Quick apology over my shoulder. Look back a couple of minutes later when the ball was cleared - still down and receiving attention. County game so it's rolling subs and he hobbles off while ALL of his team mates take the piss. One of the best hits of the game it turned out!!

 

[Chickref]

I wish I could do that... I'm so much smaller than most players, I'd probably break my shoulder!

 

[Jacko]

Lol - I'm no giant myself. The key is to blindside a player so he's not expecting it (and pick on the scrum half).

 

[PaulDG]

I wish I could do that... I'm so much smaller than most players, I'd probably break my shoulder!

Nah, you go in low and they'll fly over you. It's very dramatic!

 

[Phil E]

Absolute opposite for me yesterday down in Kent. Ball stolen at a line out so I was out of position so got on my bike to get back where I wanted to be. Scrum half steps in front of me - no time to go round him so I drop my shoulder and go straight through. Quick apology over my shoulder. Look back a couple of minutes later when the ball was cleared - still down and receiving attention. County game so it's rolling subs and he hobbles off while ALL of his team mates take the piss. One of the best hits of the game it turned out!!

I did that (although by accident, not on purpose), to a small boy at a Mini-Midi tournament

His mum called me a bully

 

[Simon Thomas]

There is a previous thread from maybe 4 or 5 years ago, with a number of such accidental (and not so accidental) TJs running into or over replacements and/or spectators.

My personal highlight was at a Hampshire Schools U18 Cup Final (two posh fee paying schools), when one father insisted in being in front of the rope and walking to & over touchline as he followed play. Smart suit and penny loafers being worn by him.

I was running as TJ and the first time genuinely didn't see him as I stepped back and he got two studs direct onto his shoes. I suggested he retire behind the rope.

Later I am at full speed down touch chasing a breakaway wing starting at his own 10m line - my eyes are fixed on the touchline and wings feet as cover chases across, and so only get a last minute awareness of a body in the way. My reaction is to dip shoulder (players near me on pitch) and I feel some contact as I carry on. I make it into 22m as wing evades cover and touches down in corner.

Off behind posts for conversion, sprint back to half-way, then walk to defensive 22m for restart and in oxygen starvation.

Only afterwards in clubhouse do I get to hear that Mr Suit & Guccis ended up on his backside near half way, a little like a Tom & Jerry cartoon is how it was decribed to me - arms and legs akimbo as I side swiped him on the way past.

He was by the area replacements had been standing in first half (so nicely churned up) and got his suit and Guccis somewhat muddy it seems.

 

[Bill Lee]

There are other dangers in the spectators being too close. Running touch on the old Dunstablians Bull Pond Lane ground when the spectators were much too close was too much excitement for Chairman Ross Barringtons Labrador. On about the 5th time I passed the annimal it jumped out and nipped rather than bit my bum. I didn't think it the slightest bit funny and made the mistake of showing my annoyance but the crowd thought it extremely funny.

On the opposite side of the coin, when an accidental collision with a player takes place and he finishes up on the deck then that can be enoyable / funny providing no one is hurt.

I was refereeing Luton v Ampthil when a big burly Luton player was making a strong jinking run out of defence and as he got close, I stepped out of his way, but as I moved he also stepped, perhaps using me as a blind, but all he did was to run his solar plexus on to my leading shoulder. Down he went making some terrible gasping and moaning noises. Did he get any sympathy, none whatsoever, players, spectators, physio etc all killing themselves with laughter. ( I am only 5ft 6 ins but am fairly solidly built)

 

[TheBFG]

Has it's advantages being my size, i only usually have to ask once for people to get out of the way :wink:

We did have a match earlier this year, where we (TO3) insisted on a rope for both sides of a pitch (L7 Team), but as we were on their "training pitch" no lights on the main one, they could only get a rope for one side. Very packed on that side :biggrin:

 

[Adam]

Don't forget you have a flag, and often their gonads are facing the pitch.