Player Chatter

[RussRef]

Fairly sure I handled this more or less correctly, but would appreciate any other pointers you might have.

1. Fairly low-level men's game on Saturday between two teams that are evenly matched.
2. Captain's briefing included, as usual, warning that questioning one-off calls is not productive; only interested in limited conversation about much consistent problems.
3. From KO, multiple players on both sides giving me lots of advice/reaction to calls -- nothing abusive, just a lot of chatter.
4. About 10 minutes in, players quieted down.
5. Then, with about 10 minutes to go in 1st half, problem resurfaces.
6. At half, speak briefly with captains telling them needs to stop immediately.
7. 5 minutes into second half, PK to Red for disputing call.
8. 2 minutes later, YC to Blue for disputing call.
9. Calm restored for rest of match; binned player apologizes afterward and agrees I had to make an example of him.

Anything else you can think that I should've done?

 

[Toby Warren]

Ask tell penalise. For me the ask happens at the toss - and sometimes the tell.

In this case - questioning from KO - a loud reminder to players not to question / chat.

Next time PK (or march them 10), then escalate as required.

Watch the dissent disappear.

 

[Phil E]

Yep, nip it in the bud early.
At your point 3 I am telling the captain to deal with it like he promised at the brief.
If he fails, PK, March 10 etc, straight away.
Don't let it become accepted.

 

[Nigib]

Can be difficult to manage when you realise that what you had seen as banter has escalated into dissent. But agree completely to make it the skipper's problem, not yours. March 10 early for almost anything dissentlike, provided it's in the middle of the park, to set your boundary. But you need to follow up if necessary, otherwise it escalates and gets in the way of any rugby they might actually want to play, although sometimes blaming the ref seems a preferred game...

 

[woody]

Going straight to YC for Blue seems harsh. Was the Blue offense more egregious than Red? Aside from that, (re)establishing control at the start of the second half is a good move.

 

[Dixie]

Going straight to YC for Blue seems harsh. Was the Blue offense more egregious than Red? Aside from that, (re)establishing control at the start of the second half is a good move.

I agree. If the chatter was from both sides, perhaps at the red PK call both captains over, issue warnings about future conduct to both, allow them to speak to their teams and then restart with the PK. But assuming that the Blue and red offences were pretty similar in terms of what was said, the YC seems a bit OTT.