[Law] Jewelry disguised with tape

[Huck2Spit]

I've made it habit while doing the pregame boot check to say to the players, " please make sure you remove any necklaces, watches, ear rings or other jewelry and piercings before we kickoff."
However, I regularly see players, often but not exclusively young women, come out to play with just a dot or a few strips of tape over a nose piercing or an ear pierced up high above the lobe. And even once saw a guy with those big plugs stretching out his lobes just wear a scrum cap with out taking them out.
I know what the law says...its all banned. Should i do a double check before kick off and delay the match?
Or send them off to remove such items if i notice (as per law). But who's to say why that tape is there.
Should they play at their own risk if they choose to be that dumb?

 

[Iron_Lung]

I'm not sure where you're refereeing at the moment, but USA rugby put out the following guidelines.

http://usarugby.org/documentation/refereeing/protective-equipment-clothing-guidelines.pdf

Page 16 covers a specific requirement that jewelry cannot be taped over and must be removed. Not much grey there, but your local union may have alternate rules covering these situations. If they do, a quick reference to that is usually enough to get player compliance without having to be overly officious about it.

 

[Dickie E]

what about a Prince Albert? Do you check for that?

 

[Iron_Lung]

what about a Prince Albert? Do you check for that?

Depends if they buy me a nice dinner first, I'm cheap... not easy...

 

[4eyesbetter]

Should they play at their own risk if they choose to be that dumb?

Players are not necessarily a risk only to themselves by doing this. I used to be quite relaxed in my soccer days about players with rubber wristbands when they first came in. Then I saw someone dislocate his finger because they jumped for a high ball and somewhere in there he got his finger caught in the wristband.

 

[Pegleg]

The law book is very clear on the matter:

1; YOU (or your TJ/ARs) MUST check for "dangerous / illegal items of clothing"
2; Players must not wear anything that is covered by the law.
3; The sanction for the player is serious - A RED card!

Law 4 Players’ Clothing

4.4 BANNED ITEMS OF CLOTHING
(a) A player must not wear any item that is contaminated by blood.
(b) A player must not wear any item that is sharp or abrasive.
(c) A player must not wear any items containing buckles, clips, rings, hinges, zippers, screws,
bolts or rigid material or projection not otherwise permitted under this Law.
(d) A player must not wear jewellery such as rings or earrings.
(e) A player must not wear gloves.
(f) A player must not wear shorts with padding sewn into them.
(g) A player must not wear any other item which does not conform with World Rugby
Specifications for such clothing (Regulation 12).
(h) A player must not wear any item that is normally permitted by Law, but, in the referee’s
opinion that is liable to cause injury to a player.

4.5 INSPECTION OF PLAYERS’ CLOTHING
(a) The referee or the touch judges appointed by or under the authority of the match organiser
must inspect the players’ clothing and studs for conformity to this Law.
(b) The referee has power to decide at any time, before or during the match, that part of a
player’s clothing is dangerous or illegal. If the referee decides that clothing is dangerous or
illegal the referee must order the player to remove it. The player must not take part in the
match until the items of clothing are removed.
(c) If, at an inspection before the match, the referee or a touch judge tells a player that an item
banned under this Law is being worn, and the player is subsequently found to be wearing
that item on the playing area, that player is sent off for misconduct.
Sanction: A penalty kick is awarded at the place where play is restarted.

 

[Phil E]

I regularly see players, often but not exclusively young women, come out to play with just a dot or a few strips of tape over a nose piercing or an ear pierced up high above the lobe. And even once saw a guy with those big plugs stretching out his lobes just wear a scrum cap with out taking them out.

Imagine what happens to those items if they get caught in someone clothing or boots....they are going to get ripped out with loads of claret!

They must remove them.

However, if you can't see them there's nothing you can do (Dickie), but if you become aware of them during the game :norc:

 

[Blackberry]

Imagine what happens to those items if they get caught in someone clothing or boots....they are going to get ripped out with loads of claret!

They must remove them.

However, if you can't see them there's nothing you can do (Dickie), but if you become aware of them during the game :norc:

Spot on (as ever) Law 4.5 (C), though it does mention the player having been asked to remove it. Can this warning be achieved by saying something to the whole team in the PMB ?

 

[Phil E]

Spot on (as ever) Law 4.5 (C), though it does mention the player having been asked to remove it. Can this warning be achieved by saying something to the whole team in the PMB ?

Exactly.

"Anyone wearing any jewellery, piercings etc needs to remove them before they play".........they have now been warned.



Reminds me of the old story of a disgruntled referee who goes into the changing room before a match.
"It has come to my attention that some of you are under the impression that I can't Yellow Card anyone without having warned them first. You may all consider yourself warned"........Exit.

 

[Blackberry]

Phil, this is just the kind of information and advice new refs need. Next up, what if someone says "Er, ref, is this OK?" and shows a taped up wedding ring, or a taped up piercing? Any thoughts on how we handle this?

 

[Blackberry]

Re: Re : Jewelry disguised with tape

Players are not necessarily a risk only to themselves by doing this. I used to be quite relaxed in my soccer days about players with rubber wristbands when they first came in. Then I saw someone dislocate his finger because they jumped for a high ball and somewhere in there he got his finger caught in the wristband.

That was gross, it made me shudder... you really refereed football?

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

I come across these fabric festival wristbands occasionally. They have a little metal tag on that keeps then fastened. I have asked for these to be removed a couple of occasions.

View attachment 3329

 

[Phil E]

Phil, this is just the kind of information and advice new refs need. Next up, what if someone says "Er, ref, is this OK?" and shows a taped up wedding ring, or a taped up piercing? Any thoughts on how we handle this?

Default position is remove it. If they can't then it needs to be covered over and taped in such a way as you can't feel any hard or sharp edges through the covering. To be honest where piercings are concerned I can't see how they can cover it up sufficiently, but rings can be safely taped over.

I come across these fabric festival wristbands occasionally. They have a little metal tag on that keeps then fastened. I have asked for these to be removed a couple of occasions.

View attachment 3329

I think if they are taped or bandaged over I would be happy. But I would want to check and not be able to feel any sharp or hard edges through the tape.

My son has one and wild horses wouldn't get him to remove it, he would rather not play (I know it's his choice). If he still has it on for next years festival he gets a free beer!!

 

[SimonSmith]

Exactly.

"Anyone wearing any jewellery, piercings etc needs to remove them before they play".........they have now been warned.



Reminds me of the old story of a disgruntled referee who goes into the changing room before a match.
"It has come to my attention that some of you are under the impression that I can't Yellow Card anyone without having warned them first. You may all consider yourself warned"........Exit.

Terry Mortimore. Hampshire.

 

[John3822]

Default position is remove it. If they can't then it needs to be covered over and taped in such a way as you can't feel any hard or sharp edges through the covering. To be honest where piercings are concerned I can't see how they can cover it up sufficiently, but rings can be safely taped over.




I think if they are taped or bandaged over I would be happy. But I would want to check and not be able to feel any sharp or hard edges through the tape.

My son has one and wild horses wouldn't get him to remove it, he would rather not play (I know it's his choice). If he still has it on for next years festival he gets a free beer!!

Almost always school games at the beginning of the season. I tend to find "Rugby now or free beer next year" focuses their decision making. If it has metal in it it's coming off, as the earlier post says likewise with rubber wristbands.

 

[Phil E]

Almost always school games at the beginning of the season. I tend to find "Rugby now or free beer next year" focuses their decision making. If it has metal in it it's coming off, as the earlier post says likewise with rubber wristbands.

..............and if he covers it in a bandage and then tape, like a wrist support, so you never get to see it, what then?

 

[Pinky]

I say about jewellery if I see it. Must be removed. Reffing ladies last week and told them all at prematch brief that they had to remove jewellery including hidden piercings, and told them the should not be wearing wired support garments. Did ask one girl about shin guards to be told to my embarrassment that she just had fat ankles.��