Over familiarity?

[taff426]

I was watching the Wasps v Bath game the other night and noticed Wayne Barnes was calling a lot of the players by their first name, also Nigel Owens does, which got me thinking.

Following an assessment a few weeks ago I was told not to call players by their first name as it was being over familiar with them, which could cause issues, especially with the Captains.

All the players were calling me Sir, and acting accordingly so i see no problem with it.

What are your thoughts Gents on using first names? :Nerv:

 

[Robert Burns]

I've always been taught numbers for players, names for captains.

 

[PaulDG]

What are your thoughts Gents on using first names? :Nerv:

For us refs doing normal club games, using names is going into dodgy ground as most of the time we'll only know a few names of one side and perhaps none of the other.

Easy for one side to get the impression of favouritism.

Elite players know they'd not going to get a biased ref. OK, they might be concerned when they see a new guy but if it's one of the top TV refs, someone they see week in week out, they know.

It's another difference between showbiz and weeds rugby.

 

[FlipFlop]

WB got into trouble for it from POB a few years back if I remember rightly.

I would say that if you can do it to 100% of the players on the park, then it isn't a problem, provided they can call you by your first name.

But I don't like it. Numbers while playing, and if you are talking to a captain, then fine for first name, or even to a player (i.e. "Bob, Richie here is in danger of me taking further actions - he has already been penalised 3 times for hands in." or similar)

 

[Davet]

Elite game the refs and players all know each other. Below that level, and for sure down in the weeds that isn't the case.

If you don't know everybody's name then don't use them.

 

[SimonSmith]

I agree with Robbie.

I tell the Captains - and them only - that I'll use their first names when I'm trying to manage during downtime: "John, your 3 is borderline fringing at each maul" or more usually "I have no problem with squeezeball Joe, as long as it comes back quick and he gets out the way. Otherwise, he's the problem. Clear?"

They know that if I get to "Blue captain" stage something bad has happened and cards are a very real possibility.

I've found that differentiating the mode of address helps with the reception of the communication, a bit like differentiating the whistle tone for a PK and FK.

Players? Just numbers to me during the game.

 

[Drift]

I found it hard refereeing my old team mates in the 10s comp we had here as I was calling them by their names out of habit, luckily I knew a couple of players on the other side so I was able to do it for both and not look and sound over familiar.

Personally I don't mind it too much at the elite level, as has already been pointed out, they all know each other well (especially in the NH).

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

I use captains first names until I call them captain when they know I've gone into andyscott mode. Players are numbers as, as has been said, I never know them all.

When POB tells me off I'll stop doing it.

 

[Dickie E]

What about when captain introduces himself as "Everyone calls me Knackers" ?

 

[ddjamo]

I still write down the fly half first name for this very reason...the damn guys don't know their number or the name of their position. I'll yell, "blue 10, blue 10, blue 10..fly half..." no response. I yell, "blue 10...bill...get your center back." they are like dogs...only know their name and some basic commands...stay, back, quiet.

only need to use them once in a while and sometimes not at all but keeps things moving at the scrums/lineouts.

 

[Deeps]

In a Sevens tourney over the weekend I penalised a player 'No 7 blue, not rolling away'. At half time the blue Captain pointed out that they all had '7' on the back of their shirts so I stated that if I saw '7' do it again I would probably have to :noyc: him for repeat offending.

 

[Drift]

What about when captain introduces himself as "Everyone calls me Knackers" ?

Like Shags from Power House? He is Shags or captain in my book. I use the name that they give me as I find they don't respond to their real name

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

Force vs Bulls (I'm getting some mileage out of this game :biggrin: )

Scrum 5m from Bulls line.

Nathan Sharpe (Capt of Force) shouts Mark Lawrence by his first name.

Didn't bother ML but then nothing seems to!

From the bit I've seen he is not outside the top 10 referees in the world!

 

[Simon Thomas]

In a Sevens tourney over the weekend I penalised a player 'No 7 blue, not rolling away'. At half time the blue Captain pointed out that they all had '7' on the back of their shirts so I stated that if I saw '7' do it again I would probably have to :noyc: him for repeat offending.

Nice one Deeps. Perhaps they shouldn't try to be so clever in future.

 

[Simon Thomas]

A recent Dismissal Report caused much amusement in Hampshire RFU and Referees' Society.

Vet centre (who I know well from 12 years of Jersey 10s tournaments) playing as emergency cover in a County Shield semi-final.

Handbags starts up, young flanker hits him, so he flattens the poor lad with a corker of a punch.

Whistle, flanker woken up and carried off (with red card shown), the Vet and his skipper summonded by referee, "violent conduct, punching, that is a red card dismissal, name please ? " skipper says "Errol Brown sir" and of he goes.

That is the name that goes on dismissal report which goes through the system - no such player registered on Rugby First, club deny they have a player of that name, etc.

Eventually I am asked to sort it out with referee, and when he describes player the penny drops. This guy is the spitting image of Errol Brown of Hot Chocolate and has actually done "You sexy thing" as his karaoke at Jersey Vets. The skipper only knew him as "Errol Brown" not his real name...........

 

[ddjamo]

"everyone's a winner!"

 

[Ciaran Trainor]

I once arrived at a level 7 league match Windermere v Furness after travelling with the away team on their bus and then had a night out with them.
Do you think I was being overly familiar with the visitors??