What do people think

[Account Deleted]

Not experienced by me but, I'd say the source is reliable.

Ref (up and coming ) Reffing a professional game. A (very) senior ref is running as AR. There are "ref radios" Available to spectators.

Over the " ref radios" the spectators can hear the said AR telling the ref that his call are wrong. Said AR also tells ref that, on two occasions, he was wrong to issue a yellow card.

Now all this sounds off to me. Surely if said senior ref is there to "mentor" the youngster, his comments should surely be private (between ref, AR and assessor / advisor) and not for every Tom Dick or Harry in the crowd to hear and, potentially, use to berate the referee.

The side that "suffered" the "wrong" cards have officially complained about the referee, in part based on the "radio evidence" given from the AR.

What do the guys with experience of the top flight think about this?

 

[Buck1969]

Well above my pay grade, but it seems to me that the AR was out of bounds to make those kinds of comments during the game, let alone over the open radio. Whenever I have served as an appointed AR at semi-professional games here in the States, with or without radios, I keep my trap shut when it comes to the performance of the man in the middle, even if he is having a shocker. Often when the ref has made a questionable call, I've been asked by the coaches or reserve players about it, and I would never do anything other than support the ref. I might have a word with the ref at the half or if he looks to me during during a stoppage to point out things he might have been missing, but at the end of the day he's the boss, and as a team of 3 we need to present a unified front.

 

[Simon Thomas]

Not the way such things are usually done in my experience and based on conversations with RFU Elite/Panel referees and ARs.

Senior referee AR out of order in my book.

Making such a situation public on "referee radio" is one step too far imho anyway.

 

[Chogan]

Sounds like the Ar had this ref marked out for a trip under a bus.

Could have been a tech glitch that everyone heard what was said, but the AR's comments are odd for the middle of a game.

 

[4eyesbetter]

"Thanks Dave, I don't need that input right now."

 

[stuart3826]

In the AP, AR's comments cannot be heard by anyone but the ref

 

[Balones]

It sounds as if it was picked up from the refs mic while the AR was close to the ref rather than being picked up via the officials' (ref/AR/4th etc) comms kit.
This was no doubt a valuable development point/occasion for the 'youngster' and he will have learnt a lot from it. I'd like to have heard his next pre-match briefing to his ARs. :smile:

 

[crossref]

First rule for an ar.. Don't make the referee look like a dick

 

[menace]

First rule for an ar.. Don't make the referee look like a dick as they can manage that all by themselves

Fixed that for you!

I suspect if it's true and heard by the assessors then I suspect the AR will get some counselling about it....and a few choice appointments to #4/#5

 

[Bryan]

In the AP, AR's comments cannot be heard by anyone but the ref

Really? Watched Smally's Leicester v Gloucester and this was far from the case!

 

[Account Deleted]

My feeling pretty much supported by you all. I can't belief that a young ref would be hung out to dry like this.

 

[gwgs]

First rule for an ar.. Don't make the referee look like a dick

First, second and third rule I reckon.

1) Don't make the ref look like a dick
2) DON'T MAKE THE REF LOOK LIKE A DICK
3) His word is final

 

[stuart3826]

First, second and third rule I reckon.

1) Don't make the ref look like a dick
2) DON'T MAKE THE REF LOOK LIKE A DICK
3) His word is final

what he said