How is this for a referee?

[Dickie E]

Go on Womble, stick your gum shield in..........you know you want to :wink:

... and get into the FR

 

[Dickie E]

Every few days I will have a smoothie - although not every day as it is effort to clean the smoothie maker.

Yeah, life can be a bitch.

Call yourself a Gen Y? Leave it in the sink and let your Mum deal with it.

 

[Adam]

I just want to say thank you all for the advice!

I played rugby because I enjoy it. Our old coach who I had for 4-5 years went off to take a new age group up and our new coach (who happens to be the 1XV captain) treats us like we are in the 1st Team, but then he doesn't socialise or make us feel a part of the team afterwards.
I lost the enjoyment factor mid-way through last season, and kept fighting for it all. I decided I would wait until after a certain game and if I still wasn't enjoying it I would pack it in. I really worked on my fitness this summer - and I felt fitter than I have well ever (I still do). But I just didn't enjoy it.

In contrast - with refereeing I just enjoy it. I've enjoyed it since I did the Refereeing Tag Rugby course about 4 years ago. I enjoyed it more when I moved onto the Young Officials programme - about 3 years ago, and then I really caught the bug when I did the ELRA.

In terms of the 1 game I had so far - I only really found it difficult to keep up once I got to about the 65th minute, as my legs just 'went'. Of course - I've only played 50-60 minutes at youth level so I was a little out of my normal comfort zone.

I think my movement is fine - take a look at this and see what you think: http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/southwoldrfc/videos/away-to-stowmarket--20th-october-2013-45974.html

(and yes I know I missed the accidental offside)

I was in a similar situation not too long ago. I am 21 years old and was almost 19 stone (BMI: 33) and had been at L8 for a good 18 months. Feedback that I was given was that I was slow off the mark and unfit; all true. This was the case for a good 2.5+ years. During this close season I decided to do something about it. Joined a commercial weight loss group, and after 12 weeks I am over 4 stone lighter.My fitness has improved immeasurably. I got 18.2 on the Yo-Yo in August, and would hope I could beat that now. For interest my ideal training schedule in a week is:

Monday: Spin class
Tuesday: 6 mile run
Wednesday: Sometimes have a game
Thursday: Sprint session
Friday: Off
Saturday: Game day
Sunday: Sometimes have a game

All of this has helped me enormously. The weight loss group I joined is wonderful. I eat a lot better now than I used to and am really enjoying what I eat. For example, yesterday I had eggs, beans and mushrooms for breakfast; spaghetti carbonara for lunch; and vegetable tikka masala and rice for tea.

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

I was in a similar situation not too long ago. I am 21 years old and was almost 19 stone (BMI: 33) and had been at L8 for a good 18 months. Feedback that I was given was that I was slow off the mark and unfit; all true. This was the case for a good 2.5+ years. During this close season I decided to do something about it. Joined a commercial weight loss group, and after 12 weeks I am over 4 stone lighter.My fitness has improved immeasurably. I got 18.2 on the Yo-Yo in August, and would hope I could beat that now. For interest my ideal training schedule in a week is:

Monday: Spin class
Tuesday: 6 mile run
Wednesday: Sometimes have a game
Thursday: Sprint session
Friday: Off
Saturday: Game day
Sunday: Sometimes have a game

All of this has helped me enormously. The weight loss group I joined is wonderful. I eat a lot better now than I used to and am really enjoying what I eat. For example, yesterday I had eggs, beans and mushrooms for breakfast; spaghetti carbonara for lunch; and vegetable tikka masala and rice for tea.

I can certainly vouch for the results. Adam has significantly "dechubbed" since last season - still heavier than me though, although he is about 4" taller.

When he told me about the yoyo result I thought he was lying although up 'til last week I hadn't seen the "svelter" version.

Good luck WombleRef with the Rugby/Fitness/Refereeing

 

[Jacko]

His banter is still terrible though.

 

[Adam]

His banter is still terrible though.

Surely I get half marks for trying?

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

Surely I get half marks for trying?

I'd give you full marks for being trying.

 

[Toby Warren]

I just want to say thank you all for the advice!

I played rugby because I enjoy it. Our old coach who I had for 4-5 years went off to take a new age group up and our new coach (who happens to be the 1XV captain) treats us like we are in the 1st Team, but then he doesn't socialise or make us feel a part of the team afterwards.
I lost the enjoyment factor mid-way through last season, and kept fighting for it all. I decided I would wait until after a certain game and if I still wasn't enjoying it I would pack it in. I really worked on my fitness this summer - and I felt fitter than I have well ever (I still do). But I just didn't enjoy it.

In contrast - with refereeing I just enjoy it. I've enjoyed it since I did the Refereeing Tag Rugby course about 4 years ago. I enjoyed it more when I moved onto the Young Officials programme - about 3 years ago, and then I really caught the bug when I did the ELRA.

In terms of the 1 game I had so far - I only really found it difficult to keep up once I got to about the 65th minute, as my legs just 'went'. Of course - I've only played 50-60 minutes at youth level so I was a little out of my normal comfort zone.

I think my movement is fine - take a look at this and see what you think: http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/southwoldrfc/videos/away-to-stowmarket--20th-october-2013-45974.html

(and yes I know I missed the accidental offside)

Hmm cough hmmm 'WHite 7'

I think that if you enjoy it stick with it. To be honest getting fitter and stronger will help you play and ref so don't feel that you have to only one.

As newbie ref missing the accidental offside is a minor one (was a tackler impeded) as stated above try and get to the b/down as the 3rd man - then actions like those of the white 7 become very clear.

Good luck keep enjoying it

 

[Adam]

I'd give you full marks for being trying.

...yet you still always call me!

 

[Phil E]

...yet you still always call me!

Sounds like BFF status?

 

[WombleRef]

Good on you for keep involved with rugby until you decide your playing aspirations.

All good advice so far from others about how to improve your fitness.

To be honest, in that video your movement can be, and needs to be, better. You've already a heard it once in this thread, and you'll hear it a lot more. Your aim is to be the third man at the tackle. This allows you to spot the 1st infringement. In the clip you showed, as the break was made and the camera panned away from you, it doesn't appear that you were looking to change up a gear. As a result you were too late to the breakdown. I would like to see you work up to improving your fitness and mobility to finding a 'sprint' gear.

You were quite lucky that the particular breakdown was 'open', disrupted and slow. But your lateness looks to show that you missed the white #7 entering the tackle zone from the wrong side and taking out the pink support player about to grab the ball. You arrived at about the same time, so you may have seen it but I don't see you use advantage signal? Although pink retained possesion, this IMO had a material affect on what pink could have done, and had you been at the breakdown sooner you would probably have spotted this.

(The accidental offside didn't seem to impede the tacklers that much, the defenders seemed to have slid off him and onto the ball carrier pretty quick and didn't prevent them from stopping the ball carrier. If anything it impeded the ball carrier more. I don't think it was that material to be too worried about it. Could have gone either way.)

Hmm cough hmmm 'WHite 7'

I think that if you enjoy it stick with it. To be honest getting fitter and stronger will help you play and ref so don't feel that you have to only one.

As newbie ref missing the accidental offside is a minor one (was a tackler impeded) as stated above try and get to the b/down as the 3rd man - then actions like those of the white 7 become very clear.

Good luck keep enjoying it

I genuinely didn't see the white 7 - I'll need to keep more of an eye with things like that.

The team in white happens to be the team I help coach.

Am I right in saying I ran a good line however from the scrum to the ruck?

 

[RussRef]

Womble:

A reaction to your thoughts from the other side of the Pond.

1. You don't need a gym membership. You can get a lot of strength training done on the floor, at home, using your own body weight: pushups, situps, planks, dips, etc. I'd bet you can find a suitable chin-up bar somewhere in the neighborhood. There's lots of resources available on line. The other refs are entirely correct that the cardio should eventually get more intensive than steady-state walking/jogging.

2. Your line from scrum to ruck took the proper route: around the back of the attacking side, rather than cutting across the back of the defending side. Particularly if your conditioning needs work, you'll be tempted to take the short-cut, but you won't see as much if the breakdown occurs behind the gainline. As others have noted, you arrived late at the tackle and missed 7's bad entry, but no need to dwell on that. Given that the attacking side was on the front foot and threatening to score, allowing a phase or two of advantage would've been the best response anyway, so your mistake didn't materially affect play.

3. One the phase ending in the try: you should aspire to have close-in tries like that scored at your feet, so that you can see any grounding immediately, and award the try. (After 9 years I'm still not there as often as I'd like.) If, as happened here, you need to unpile bodies to determine if the grounding happened, you didn't see the grounding and probably shouldn't award the try. Unless the attacking player is just lying on top of the ball with no opposing hand or bodies underneath, assuming that the grounding happened isn't the best course. Again, improving your fitness will help put you in the best position to make the call quickly and correctly.

4. One final thought: I would try never to walk while the ball isn't in play. Jog, for example, don't walk, to the mark when the non-offending side has chosen a scrum on the crooked lineout throw. Wait on the players, if necessary, but don't force them to slow down to accommodate you.

Stay at it, and I'll look forward to watching you on TV in a few years!

 

[WombleRef]

Womble:

A reaction to your thoughts from the other side of the Pond.

1. You don't need a gym membership. You can get a lot of strength training done on the floor, at home, using your own body weight: pushups, situps, planks, dips, etc. I'd bet you can find a suitable chin-up bar somewhere in the neighborhood. There's lots of resources available on line. The other refs are entirely correct that the cardio should eventually get more intensive than steady-state walking/jogging.

2. Your line from scrum to ruck took the proper route: around the back of the attacking side, rather than cutting across the back of the defending side. Particularly if your conditioning needs work, you'll be tempted to take the short-cut, but you won't see as much if the breakdown occurs behind the gainline. As others have noted, you arrived late at the tackle and missed 7's bad entry, but no need to dwell on that. Given that the attacking side was on the front foot and threatening to score, allowing a phase or two of advantage would've been the best response anyway, so your mistake didn't materially affect play.

3. One the phase ending in the try: you should aspire to have close-in tries like that scored at your feet, so that you can see any grounding immediately, and award the try. (After 9 years I'm still not there as often as I'd like.) If, as happened here, you need to unpile bodies to determine if the grounding happened, you didn't see the grounding and probably shouldn't award the try. Unless the attacking player is just lying on top of the ball with no opposing hand or bodies underneath, assuming that the grounding happened isn't the best course. Again, improving your fitness will help put you in the best position to make the call quickly and correctly.

4. One final thought: I would try never to walk while the ball isn't in play. Jog, for example, don't walk, to the mark when the non-offending side has chosen a scrum on the crooked lineout throw. Wait on the players, if necessary, but don't force them to slow down to accommodate you.

Stay at it, and I'll look forward to watching you on TV in a few years!

Thanks

I'm not sure I understand how I can achieve getting the close-in tries scored at my feet. Do I look for likely gaps in the defence and get into a position to see them as a player would go through?

I never thought to jog to the mark (except if I am giving the opposition another 10 for language). I'll keep it in mind and try and remember for tommorow. Certainly I always jog for kick-offs as I like to be first there so I can get my positioning right and to keep track of players in front of the kicker.

 

[Nigib]

As play goes forward across the 5m towards the goal line, aim to be ahead of play, but still able to see and not interfering. If you have a clear view of the ball being grounded, by being as close as practicable, no-one can argue with your decision, or even feel a little miffed.

 

[WombleRef]

As play goes forward across the 5m towards the goal line, aim to be ahead of play, but still able to see and not interfering. If you have a clear view of the ball being grounded, by being as close as practicable, no-one can argue with your decision, or even feel a little miffed.

Ok. That is something that sounds like it will take practice to get use to.

 

[Nigib]

Keep watching the ball (as well as everything else!), and try and anticipate where the grounding is likely to be. You may have to shift round to the other side to keep a good view. I have learned to not give a try unless I can definitely see it grounded. Being close with it moving forward gives your best chance imo. Don't assume that just because it is the last thing left on the ground under a bunch of players as they get up that it was the first thing down there, and also don't be afraid to blow for held up. Again, being close to the action gives you more authority and credibility with your decision. Experiment with positioning, find your own way, and above all enjoy it!

 

[WombleRef]

Hi everyone,

Just so you all I started the season at 124.5kg (mid-September), and I am now at 116.9kg

So my fitness work is sort of working!

 

[bodybyvi]

hey,
welcome to the forum and its good to have to have you here.
to make this effective you definitely need to have a great stamina and to increase that you need to run a lot.
really if you do that properly then everything will be good too.