Making it up

[didds]

Do you make laws up to suit your own personal viewpoint of how the game SHOULD be refereed?

Do you invent laws not in the law book, or use laws for purposes for which they are not intended?

 

[Phil E]

Do you invent laws not in the law book, or use laws for purposes for which they are not intended?

No.....I leave that to coaches :wink:

 

[Decorily]

No.....I leave that to coaches :wink:

........and 9's!

 

[SimonSmith]

Nope

if you want your soul destroyed, an occasional foray in the USA Rugby Referees Fbook page will do that for you. "I think hands offs to the head are automatically dangerous, so I'll penalize them automatically." And others...

 

[Dixie]

Yes. I allow a #9 to dig at the base of rucks. Judging by several years of correspondence on here, Didds, you must be aware of many who are prepared to stretch a principle to fit their own preconceptions. I doubt any of us are immune.

 

[Rushforth]

Yes. I allow a #9 to dig at the base of rucks. Judging by several years of correspondence on here, Didds, you must be aware of many who are prepared to stretch a principle to fit their own preconceptions. I doubt any of us are immune.

Yes, I allow a #9 to dig at the base of rucks too. Yes, I allowed a #9 to feed into the second row too when I first took up the whistle, because the "hit" was an issue.

Yes, I completely ignore forward passes that aren't C&O, even if my father would beg to differ.

But no, I don't actually "make it up". While I am the referee in any game, I am conscious of two facts, and two facts only.

Fact #1: Despite what the law says, I am actually a fallible human being, and can't see everything, or get every call right.

Fact #2: I have sufficient knowledge of the laws and above all the spirit of the game that I can ASSIST the players play the game safely.

Just to give a simple example, sometimes a game is decided. Let's sat the score is 82-5. The visitors are down to 13 men and there are still 10 minutes to go. No local regulation to go by; games are 2x40. I don't offer both captains the chance to change my mind, I ask the losing one - quietly - "last ten, or would you prefer less"?

Now, I don't offer that option when I'm reffing the premier division ladies, but the U19 international boys had the common sense to work it out between themselves when one team was dominating.

For the peanut gallery: what I am saying is that I do NOT referee as to how I (or my father) think rugby laws SHOULD be interpreted, but rather that safety issues will sometimes have me whistling and asking both captains "who was in possession? I'm sorry but this potential injury was more important to me."

 

[colesy]

Nope

if you want your soul destroyed, an occasional foray in the USA Rugby Referees Fbook page will do that for you. "I think hands offs to the head are automatically dangerous, so I'll penalize them automatically." And others...

I made the mistake of wandering over there and having a look, having seen this post. I think I have lost the will to live.

 

[matty1194]

Never ever make things up - your making a rod for your own and next week's referees back and potentially losing the respect you have of the players and the coaches/supporters!!

KISS

Keep It Simple Stupid

Dont make things up.

 

[Dickie E]

every time there's a contentious in touch decision I make it up. Did the ball cross the plane, was the player in touch, was he jumping, where did he land, was he jumping from field of play to touch or vice versa, did he catch or bat the ball, was the ball moving or stationery, etc, etc etc.

All too hard for me.

 

[SimonSmith]

I made the mistake of wandering over there and having a look, having seen this post. I think I have lost the will to live.

Some of us have to live that madness.

Oh, the humanity.

 

[Pegleg]

Dickie, that's not making the laws up. That's just "best guessing" what happened. The answer to which you apply the laws to.

Personally I apply the laws according to guidelines/ clarifications laid down by WR or the WRU from time to time. I make mistakes. I also call what I see which may be wrong from another angle. But I never make laws up.

 

[didds]

No.....I leave that to coaches :wink:

touche Phil

didds

 

[didds]

Yes. I allow a #9 to dig at the base of rucks. Judging by several years of correspondence on here, Didds, you must be aware of many who are prepared to stretch a principle to fit their own preconceptions. I doubt any of us are immune.

I'd argue that - and similar - are widely accepted and promulgated exceptions, and understood as such. You know what I mean !

Of course if players off their feet were prevented correctly, the ball may not get stuck so often requiring a deep mining expedition just to keep the game moving. But that's another debate ;-)

didds

 

[didds]

every time there's a contentious in touch decision I make it up. Did the ball cross the plane, was the player in touch, was he jumping, where did he land, was he jumping from field of play to touch or vice versa, did he catch or bat the ball, was the ball moving or stationery, etc, etc etc.

All too hard for me.

Nah - you didn't make that up. you made the best decision you could, based on what you saw fitting the laws as you know them.
didds

 

[didds]

bah.

this was supposed to be a binary poll!

whatever!

 

[Dickie E]

bah.

this was supposed to be a binary poll!

whatever!

Let me guess. You saw something in the England v France game that got you thinking and this is your passive aggressive way of raising it?

 

[Jarrod Burton]

every time there's a contentious in touch decision I make it up. Did the ball cross the plane, was the player in touch, was he jumping, where did he land, was he jumping from field of play to touch or vice versa, did he catch or bat the ball, was the ball moving or stationery, etc, etc etc.

All too hard for me.

The best reply when the coach asks "that wasn't out!" is "Yes it was, cause I said it was!"

 

[crossref]

The best reply when the coach asks "that wasn't out!" is "Yes it was, cause I said it was!"

but then the coach rarely responds 'Oh yes, I see your point. Fair enough, then'

 

[didds]

Let me guess. You saw something in the England v France game that got you thinking and this is your passive aggressive way of raising it?

Nope.

didds

 

[SimonSmith]

There is currently an extended debate going on on the USA R Referees' Fbook page about hand offs above the shoulder line.

Some referees, because in their personal view, think that anything above the shoulder line is automatically dangerous, will simply not allow them.

Your personal moral beliefs do NOT trump the Laws of the Game.