Delaying the restart.... or play on?

[Ovey]

I had this in a game yesterday and I was wondering what you guys think or would have done:

Red scored a try and retired back to their own half for the restart (except kicker, who incidentally missed the conversion and then ran back). As I reached the half way line the red skipper asked if he could make a substitution, to which I said "if you're quick" (to this point blue had been slow in retrieving the ball and returning to the middle for their restart).

At this point blue saw that red were out of position in their slow attempts to re-organise and get a substitute on (the off-going player hadn't left the field). Blue used this to their advantage, sped up and then kicked off for the restart. I shouted "wait now- next stoppage" to red.

At the next stoppage red made the replacement and their skipper asked me why I hadn't delayed the restart for them to do so. I replied that he'd had since the try being scored, during the conversion and time to get back to the middle for this and it wasn't my fault.

Other than that the game went well and I had good feedback in the bar afterwards from both skippers and odd players. However the red skipper did put me down to a B for management, explaining that this point was the reasoning behind it. But I'll take 4 A's and 2 B's from a losing (red) skipper in the feedback form!

Did I handle this correctly, or would you have done something differently?

 

[Phil E]

If you have said they can make the change, then I think it only fair that you should hold off the start and allow them to complete what they asked for, and you agreed to.
Had you not agreed to the change, then the other team wouldn't have hurried up the kick.

By all means tell them to get a move on though.

 

[Norfolk_Ref]

Sounds a bit harsh to me. I think I would have stopped the kick off and allowed the sub.

 

[Davet]

I think the issue is the comment, "if you're quick."

Either they have your permission to interchange players or they don't. If they do then surely they can expect to complete that action.

 

[Dixie]

You have failed to account for Law 5:

[LAWS]5.4 TIME LOST
Time lost may be due to the following:
(c) Replacement and substitution of players. Time is allowed when a player is replaced or substituted.

5.5 MAKING UP FOR TIME LOST
Any playing time lost is made up in the same half of the match.[/LAWS]

There is no requirement for them to be quick. If you were happy that the ball was dead an a sub could be made, it's time off. They can then take as long as required (within reason). When we have a full complement ready to restart, you check that both teams are ready and off you go.

 

[TheBFG]

wouldn't get hung up about it, but i'd have let them make their sub :wink: but your choice, yo've got the whistle !

 

[Simon Thomas]

good postitive management will prevent any such problems.

It is a break in play and skipper / coach is perfectly entitled to ask for a replacement to be made, and as soon as he does you blow the whistle, arm in air touching watch and call "time off, replacement".

 

[Ovey]

Thanks for the replies everyone - I think the concensus is that I should have let them change. In my own decision making process I thought that Blue were going to take the quick kick (as is their right) and therefore shouldn't be pulled back, however with hindsight I should have held the restart up until after the interchange.

I think next time the answer will be yes or no, and stop/continue as dictated by that, rather than "if you're quick" and see what happens!

I didn't get too hung up about it, and the rest of the game I was happy with, but it's always good to get other opinions! Cheers everyone.