The Difference Is...

Simon Griffiths


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Okay, after years if trying, I've finally worked out the difference between junior and adult rugby, particularly from those on the sidelines, but partly the players too.

Prime example this afternoon in an U16 County Cup QF. Call from one of the parents, "You missed that forward pass..."

Compare that to what I would expect on a Saturday, something more along the lines of, "Wasn't that a forward pass sir/ref..."

God, parents have an attitude problem... Anyway, everyone was happy with my performance and the fact that we got a good open game, despite the conditions (muddy, windy and at times hailing).
 

Greg Collins


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reminds me of the cleese, barker, corbett "class" sketch players are corbett, we are barker, and the parents are played by cleese.....
 

PaulDG


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God, parents have an attitude problem...

I agree with you. But...

1. Some of those parents are recent converts to rugby - their son probably played football until relatively recently.

2. Those that have been with rugby for a while will have seen a lot more bad refereeing than good. Our society can't provide refs for all the junior games we get requests for (we struggle to offer refs for U14 and at times we can't manage U15s; U13 and below appears to be out of the question) so well meaning but often utterly ignorant of the Law coaches end up doing the job and sadly a lot of them do it very badly. (Which can mean that when a decent ref turns up the spectators don't understand why his decisions are different to the ones they normally see. To them he must be the one who's wrong!)

Neither of these excuse anything (and our society is doing a big push at the moment in reminding clubs of their responsibilities to control the touchline while at the same time trying to offer informal coaching for club refs) but they do contribute to the environment.
 

Phil E


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Brilliant, lets hope other counties follow suite.
Most impressive.
 

Simon Thomas


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The East Midlands'comments echo what we have dsiciussed as a Committee and what I announced to the Society at our March Training meeting.

Don't ignore such behaviour and leave the next official to deal with it (or not), manage it, act on it at the time, report full abuse formally with names and witnesses.
 

PeterH


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Halbro league covers lancs/chesh/north wales - even parts of furness soc too I think
 

tim White


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Furness and District Ref Soc has amalgamated with Cumbria to become Lakeland RefSoc, this is second season
 
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