I confess that I am a man of habit and therefore I like getting to the ground early on a Saturday, checking the pitch, having a cup of tea, doing my pre match stuff and then relaxing before the kick off with a book for a few minutes! Of course it is never as easy as it sounds, as you come to do the stud check and four of the forwards are en route (this never happens at Twickenham) or the scrum half is late as he has got lost in the town, or some player turns up 5 minutes before kick off. That having been said, I am always flexible, but more happy to get things done in a sequence as far as possible.
Turned up on Wednesday to a University with a lot of sides, good standard and me and one other ref. The director of rugby says he wants to have three games (30 mins a game in 2 x 15 minute halves) and he would like us to be very strict. All fine by me.
There are post protectors out, but no flags, on touch line or in goal. Not a single one. No markers for 25 or half way as normal. Not a thing. I remind the director of rugby this, he says he will sort and the first match (reffed by a colleague) kicks off with nothing in place. Nothing ever transpires. In addition (this wound me a up a bit to be honest) no offer of touch judges, seemed like they didn't really care.
The dilemma is I don't want to be seen as a pain in the a**e, but putting myself in their shoes, it was, I felt the least that could have been done. When I wouldn't start my matches without a touch judge there was general mocking and humphing.I felt that I probably had enough to do without seeing the touch as well.
I am all up for experience and advice. What's the score? Am I being too "fussy" or was my view that it was discourteous and unhelpful one that was right? Thoughts?
Turned up on Wednesday to a University with a lot of sides, good standard and me and one other ref. The director of rugby says he wants to have three games (30 mins a game in 2 x 15 minute halves) and he would like us to be very strict. All fine by me.
There are post protectors out, but no flags, on touch line or in goal. Not a single one. No markers for 25 or half way as normal. Not a thing. I remind the director of rugby this, he says he will sort and the first match (reffed by a colleague) kicks off with nothing in place. Nothing ever transpires. In addition (this wound me a up a bit to be honest) no offer of touch judges, seemed like they didn't really care.
The dilemma is I don't want to be seen as a pain in the a**e, but putting myself in their shoes, it was, I felt the least that could have been done. When I wouldn't start my matches without a touch judge there was general mocking and humphing.I felt that I probably had enough to do without seeing the touch as well.
I am all up for experience and advice. What's the score? Am I being too "fussy" or was my view that it was discourteous and unhelpful one that was right? Thoughts?