Dickie E

Referees in Australia
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- Jan 19, 2007
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It's an RFU regulation that the home team must confirm the game with the referee.
Guess it's just taken as a given here
I think it stems from Referees being in short supply and games being called off for one reason or another, but no one takes the responsibility to tell the ref, who by the time he finds out is too late to get put on another game.
Yup, been there, 60 minute drive, pull in to an empty club carpark, never a good sign, only the barmaid onsite -"Ooh, did no one tell you?" Grr![]()
we sort of do - it's in Whostheref --- but you can't rely on it as strips change, sometimes 1st and 2nd XV have variations . Plus most clubs have a chage strip / tour strip and sometimes wear them for some reason..In this day and age is it really not feasible for both sides to have provided the NGB / local union/ league committe /refs society with an actual photo of all club shirts for a season for refs and clubs to check beforehand, to flag up any obvious gotchas?
Best sorted out on the day, with the the pragmatic requirement that the home team should change if necessary.
i've lost count of the number of times i've had to explain to my club colleagues (generally youth coaches) why it has to be this way round, and how it's not really feasible for Stowmarket to nip back to pick up a change kit just because we've decided to play in tour kit rather than their normal shirts. i really fell out with one of them once when he flatly refused, and the ref (not me, but it was my fault of course) refused to start the game as the kits were essentially identical.
plenty of idiots in the youth coaching ranks, glad i don't do that any more.
lots of modern shirts are white on the inside, and I have started at least one adult game with a team plaing with shirts inside out.At my local club all the mini and junior teams have reversible shirts as there are a few clubs in the area with the same home colours.
and its amazing how the home team almost always CAN find some spare shirts somewhere in the clubhouse, when really pushed ! Shirts that sometimes the coaches didn't even know were there.i've lost count of the number of times i've had to explain to my club colleagues (generally youth coaches) why it has to be this way round, and how it's not really feasible for Stowmarket to nip back to pick up a change kit just because we've decided to play in tour kit rather than their normal shirts. i really fell out with one of them once when he flatly refused, and the ref (not me, but it was my fault of course) refused to start the game as the kits were essentially identical.
plenty of idiots in the youth coaching ranks, glad i don't do that any more.
...or haven't been washed or dried since last weekand its amazing how the home team almost always CAN find some spare shirts somewhere in the clubhouse, when really pushed ! Shirts that sometimes the coaches didn't even know were there.
...or haven't been washed or dried since last week![]()
West of Scotland, way back in '94/5 had a handbook that had all this information as well as maps to each ground.In this day and age is it really not feasible for both sides to have provided the NGB / local union/ league committe /refs society with an actual photo of all club shirts for a season for refs and clubs to check beforehand, to flag up any obvious gotchas?
yes, so the implication is that away teams have to travel with spare shirts.Some competition regulations (e.g. South West Division) require the away team to change, as permitted by RFU Reg 13.6.3:
"13.6.3 Kit Clash of Colours
(a) In the event of Clubs having clashing or similar colours:
(i) At Levels 3 to 5, the away team shall be responsible for changing its colours subject to the satisfaction of the appointed Referee.
(ii) At Levels 6 and below, the home team shall be responsible for changing its colours subject to the satisfaction of the appointed Referee.
(iii) In the Cup Competitions, the home team shall be responsible for changing its colours subject to the satisfaction of the appointed Referee;
unless the Organising Committee of the League or Cup Competition concerned has in its regulations or administrative instructions specified the alternative team must change its colours. "