Where are you this weekend - 2022/23?

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

Here we go, about to commence my 17th season in God's Own County.

This weekend Pre-season friendly at L8/L7ishy.

Dinnington v Mansfield

Anticipating a bright red face and cramp. Forecast is for more of the same. Low 30s today.

Still, could have been worse, I could have been refereeing this in 1984.

 

[WombleRef]

Did you die is the question? @Lee Lifeson-Peart

I ended up with heatstroke playing in Tyldesley v Littleborough - a feisty all-level 8 clash that ended up 31-31...
(Yes I've moved clubs in the off-season)

This weekend:
Saturday - playing in Tyldesley v West Park St Helens - please let the rain gods soften the pitch... please

Sunday - reffing Sale 1861 women v Barnsley Women - notionally graded at Level 7 - but first experience reffing 2nd tier Women's rugby...

 

[Phil E]

Just had our annual training day on Sunday, which was very well attended.
I expect the offer of free food and free kit had something to do with it

Staffordshire referees are now resplendent in pink shirts and black shorts.

 

[Ciaran Trainor]

Nowhere yet unfortunately. Slight tear in ACL and meniscus on last Saturday of the season. Very slow progress under the NHS who've sent me for Physio first Not convinced that is going to work.

 

[OB..]

Nowhere yet unfortunately. Slight tear in ACL and meniscus on last Saturday of the season. Very slow progress under the NHS who've sent me for Physio first Not convinced that is going to work.

I sympathise. I am currently inactive with a right thigh problem - I cannot bend down well enough to put my sock on and have had to resort to a plastic gismo. I can still drive, but walking any distance is a problem.
The doctor could not find what the problem is and so far physio has not really helped.

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

Did you die is the question? @Lee Lifeson-Peart

I ended up with heatstroke playing in Tyldesley v Littleborough - a feisty all-level 8 clash that ended up 31-31...
(Yes I've moved clubs in the off-season)

This weekend:
Saturday - playing in Tyldesley v West Park St Helens - please let the rain gods soften the pitch... please

Sunday - reffing Sale 1861 women v Barnsley Women - notionally graded at Level 7 - but first experience reffing 2nd tier Women's rugby...

Fine thanks. Bit stiff but that was predicted - not least by me. Didn't die but it was not nice. Drank loads and "warmed up" by running up and down the corridor in the changing rooms. Took water breaks in the shade of the "stand" - see Youtube video 101 uses for hand painted corrugated iron sheets.

I wore my pimply Asics hockey shoes which were fine for my feet - one dickhead wore brand new screw in studded boots, I suspect he will go through a box of Compeeds this week.

Called time with 10 minutes left as people were wilting and there'd been a few soft tissue injuries - nothing drastic!

Speaking of weather I refereed Sefton v Tyldesley during Storm David in Jan 2018 as it crashed into the West Coast of Britain. Absolutely piss wet through and freezing cold. It's the only time I've gone off at HT and changed my shirt. There's a lovely open fire at Sefton and needless to say my MO's debrief was carried out in front of it, whilst I warmed the hole of my body.

I remember Tyldesley got all agitated by me pronouncing the name of their "town" incorrectly.

 

[smeagol]

Nowhere for this weekend or next - only one game in the area this weekend, partner's 40th next.

Society meeting Sunday (remote/virtual), as the season kicks off in full force on 8/27.

 

[Volun-selected]

I’m offline for now - was on vacation and managed to slip on a sea wall and wreck my ankle (soft tissue and ligaments only, no break at least) - and got the bonus prize of blowing up a long term issue with my Achilles in the process. Hopefully nothing a few weeks of physio won’t be able to fix.

 

[Phil E]

Just picked up a L7 pre-season friendly on Saturday, followed by a Colts pre-season the following Wednesday.

....and so we start again, bye bye weekends.

 

[Jz558]

Fine thanks. Bit stiff but that was predicted - not least by me. Didn't die but it was not nice. Drank loads and "warmed up" by running up and down the corridor in the changing rooms. Took water breaks in the shade of the "stand" - see Youtube video 101 uses for hand painted corrugated iron sheets.

I wore my pimply Asics hockey shoes which were fine for my feet - one dickhead wore brand new screw in studded boots, I suspect he will go through a box of Compeeds this week.

Called time with 10 minutes left as people were wilting and there'd been a few soft tissue injuries - nothing drastic!

Speaking of weather I refereed Sefton v Tyldesley during Storm David in Jan 2018 as it crashed into the West Coast of Britain. Absolutely piss wet through and freezing cold. It's the only time I've gone off at HT and changed my shirt. There's a lovely open fire at Sefton and needless to say my MO's debrief was carried out in front of it, whilst I warmed the hole of my body.

I remember Tyldesley got all agitated by me pronouncing the name of their "town" incorrectly.

On the weather front I was working in Singapore a couple of months ago and took these pictures of a game I was invited along to. Ive never experienced rain like it and the surface water all came from rain that fell after the game started. The ground looked more like a lake than a rugby pitch by the end. Chatting to the ref afterwards I asked if this was a feature of rugby in the tropics and he said he’d never reffed in rain like that because normally it is accompanied by thunder at which point they have to go off. As the first 15 a-side full contact game allowed in Singapore in 2 years the players were naturally reluctant to go off “a light shower.” Brilliant afternoon all round.

 

[crossref]

Just picked up a L7 pre-season friendly on Saturday, followed by a Colts pre-season the following Wednesday.

....and so we start again, bye bye weekends.

..wake me up when September comes

 

[didds]

..wake me up when September comes

sounds like a song...

 

[Ciaran Trainor]

Going up to watch Windermere v Hawcoat Park v Trafford MV pre season warm up games.. 3 refs, 3 assessors. If you're in Bowness, call in. I think MV traveled up last night so may be a little worse for wear!

 

[Phil E]

So I turned up Saturday resplendant in our new seasons shirts, one yellow and one pink. No chance of a clash there.
Went out onto the pitch to find one team in yellow and the other in pink

Luckily our yellow is a very bright canary yellow and theres was more amber, spo it worked.
We chose pink this year as no club has a pink strip.....then this one club decide to have pink as their away strip!

 

[didds]

So I turned up Saturday resplendant in our new seasons shirts, one yellow and one pink. No chance of a clash there.
Went out onto the pitch to find one team in yellow and the other in pink

Luckily our yellow is a very bright canary yellow and theres was more amber, spo it worked.
We chose pink this year as no club has a pink strip.....then this one club decide to have pink as their away strip!

I coached Chess valley RFC something like 19 years ago, and their change strip then - and now - is pink

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

So I turned up Saturday resplendant in our new seasons shirts, one yellow and one pink. No chance of a clash there.
Went out onto the pitch to find one team in yellow and the other in pink

Luckily our yellow is a very bright canary yellow and theres was more amber, spo it worked.
We chose pink this year as no club has a pink strip.....then this one club decide to have pink as their away strip!

Yes. I think I've seen you in your canary yellow garb!

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

This weekend:-

Regional 2 - North East - Yeah I know, really flows! (Level 6)

Bridlington v Bradford and Bingley

A Level 6 trial game - not hell bent on being L6 for refereeing purposes but will broaden my opportunities for ARing in NLMOTs (more on that later).

Anyroad up. Brid promoted last year along with half of Yorkshire 1 and Bees spared relegation despite a woeful season without a win and load of HWOs and AWOs. All the above as part of the league restructure. Never refereed Bees as they were always "above" my level and did Brid 3 times last season so have a rough idea what to expect from them.

Looking forward to it - as always. First run out this season as I was away in the Emerald Isle last week. Went to watch some Hurling - that was good although the Acme Tornado pea-less whistle was getting on my tits after a bit!!!!! Only a Rugby Referee would say that!

 

[smeagol]

Peoria @ Rockford (Midwest D3)

My goal will be to not cramp. Warm weather expected (low 80s), plus Peoria's backline loves to run from anywhere.

 

[Phil E]

A level 9 game this weekend.
Last time they met the game got abandonded and both clubs were fined and had points deducted.
That apparently all started from the time before that, when they met and grudges were held.
I will be laying down the law very strongly this time round and people will be walking at the slightest hint of trouble.
Having said that both clubs have suspended points and fines hanging over them this season so I am hoping that will put them on best behaviour.
We will see

 

[crossref]

A level 9 game this weekend.
Last time they met the game got abandonded and both clubs were fined and had points deducted.
That apparently all started from the time before that, when they met and grudges were held.
I will be laying down the law very strongly this time round and people will be walking at the slightest hint of trouble.
Having said that both clubs have suspended points and fines hanging over them this season so I am hoping that will put them on best behaviour.
We will see

that could really go either way! perhaps it will be the quietest game ever .....