Blackberry
Referees in England
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2011
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Don't know about you, but I reckon reffing is great fun, but this season has surpassed itself. It started off with some damn third team game in August, I was helping out etc etc., turned up to find it was the third team of a national side, really good. The home team's fh seemed very youthful, I found out later that he was 16...hmmm. The club said he had dispensation, he was an academy player. I spoke briefly with the blazers and said are you sure?? I was to return there in a few weeks....
Then I did a 50th anniversary match at Drifters. I said at the PMB it was great to see so many of the original squad there which I felt deserved a better laugh. They were so wrecked that towards the end of the game I had to come into the line where I drew my (somewhat puzzled) opponent and knocked out a winning pass.
Then I had the ritual humiliation known as refereeing Buckingham Ladies, a great bunch but masters of the raised eyebrow, shake of the head and the sigh. I then had a week off assessing, a ref whose SON I had also assessed, then I took the Farnham vs Bicester match. Farnham always welcome me with a "Oh S..T" to which I always reply "Its Oh S**t SIR to you." They lost but the match is best remembered for the Bicester player who was hospitalized flowing a swan dive to score an easy try, even his team mates left him alone and the ambulance team...the second of the day... found it hard to be sympathetic.
Then I was back to the club with the 16 year old. I spied him at the PMB so took the skipper aside and said "Look are you sure? " I then got a committee man across who said they had all the dispensations, he was an academy player etc. I sucked my teeth then got on with the game. Afterwards I dug out the regs and reckoned he shouldn't be playing, so contacted my society who took up the baton. I did get a rather sniffy email from the club suggesting refs shouldn't involve themselves in regs but get on with the laws, copied to my society's committee. I gather our RDO has a conversation with the club about this. I have kept out of the loop but I think the RFU has sorted it.
I had a midweek Nat west U18 match where an independent school played a state school. Completely counter-intuitively, the independent school's coach and spectators were a real let down, I even called the coach onto the pitch to warn him.. I heard afterwards he had a bitching session with the 16 year old touch judge from the other team.
Then I had a bit more assessing, followed by Marlow colts vs Reading Abbey. I called the game off because of torrential rain and lightening, but the Abbey coach, who is now my hero, said "If we get a load of towels from the changing room, we can soak up the water" 10 out of 10 for attitude, but minus 10,000 for good thinking. I have the rearranged fixture next Sunday.
Yesterday I had the bun fight known as Phoenix vs Princes Risborough, two great local clubs who make a point of testing referees. Even before the game started, the Risborough coach got hold of me, said his hooker was inexperienced, so I had to manage the scrums. "Blame transfer beginning now" was my thought, as I asked him to explain what he meant by "Manage". We came to an accord where I told him it was the club's responsibility to ensure their players were fit for purpose.
During the match the Risborough scrum half, .. fouled a Phoenix player on the floor, but I was unsighted. I called him and the excellent Risborough skipper across, and said We all know that something happened there, and if I'd seen it you'd be walking. The SH was absolutely contrite, said it was accidental, and sought out the player and apologised. A minute later the ball came back slowly from a ruck towards the SH, enabling a probably but not definitely offside prop to flatten him. As I ran past I said "I'm not going to give that sunshine" to which the prostrate SH said weakly "I know, I know". To be fair, they gave me five excellents and three goods on my score sheet, but that may be because I have them later on in the month against Winslow.
On Wednesday I have Portsmouth Uni against Thames Valley, then a few weeks off.
Then I did a 50th anniversary match at Drifters. I said at the PMB it was great to see so many of the original squad there which I felt deserved a better laugh. They were so wrecked that towards the end of the game I had to come into the line where I drew my (somewhat puzzled) opponent and knocked out a winning pass.
Then I had the ritual humiliation known as refereeing Buckingham Ladies, a great bunch but masters of the raised eyebrow, shake of the head and the sigh. I then had a week off assessing, a ref whose SON I had also assessed, then I took the Farnham vs Bicester match. Farnham always welcome me with a "Oh S..T" to which I always reply "Its Oh S**t SIR to you." They lost but the match is best remembered for the Bicester player who was hospitalized flowing a swan dive to score an easy try, even his team mates left him alone and the ambulance team...the second of the day... found it hard to be sympathetic.
Then I was back to the club with the 16 year old. I spied him at the PMB so took the skipper aside and said "Look are you sure? " I then got a committee man across who said they had all the dispensations, he was an academy player etc. I sucked my teeth then got on with the game. Afterwards I dug out the regs and reckoned he shouldn't be playing, so contacted my society who took up the baton. I did get a rather sniffy email from the club suggesting refs shouldn't involve themselves in regs but get on with the laws, copied to my society's committee. I gather our RDO has a conversation with the club about this. I have kept out of the loop but I think the RFU has sorted it.
I had a midweek Nat west U18 match where an independent school played a state school. Completely counter-intuitively, the independent school's coach and spectators were a real let down, I even called the coach onto the pitch to warn him.. I heard afterwards he had a bitching session with the 16 year old touch judge from the other team.
Then I had a bit more assessing, followed by Marlow colts vs Reading Abbey. I called the game off because of torrential rain and lightening, but the Abbey coach, who is now my hero, said "If we get a load of towels from the changing room, we can soak up the water" 10 out of 10 for attitude, but minus 10,000 for good thinking. I have the rearranged fixture next Sunday.
Yesterday I had the bun fight known as Phoenix vs Princes Risborough, two great local clubs who make a point of testing referees. Even before the game started, the Risborough coach got hold of me, said his hooker was inexperienced, so I had to manage the scrums. "Blame transfer beginning now" was my thought, as I asked him to explain what he meant by "Manage". We came to an accord where I told him it was the club's responsibility to ensure their players were fit for purpose.
During the match the Risborough scrum half, .. fouled a Phoenix player on the floor, but I was unsighted. I called him and the excellent Risborough skipper across, and said We all know that something happened there, and if I'd seen it you'd be walking. The SH was absolutely contrite, said it was accidental, and sought out the player and apologised. A minute later the ball came back slowly from a ruck towards the SH, enabling a probably but not definitely offside prop to flatten him. As I ran past I said "I'm not going to give that sunshine" to which the prostrate SH said weakly "I know, I know". To be fair, they gave me five excellents and three goods on my score sheet, but that may be because I have them later on in the month against Winslow.
On Wednesday I have Portsmouth Uni against Thames Valley, then a few weeks off.
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