Words of wisdom from St Nigel!

[Mat 04]

http://www.wru.co.uk/23771.php

 

[Donal1988]

The less you say before the game the better as the players will expect to see it on the pitch

Surely not something the grassroot referee should take into account.

 

[Casey Bee]

Surely not something the grassroot referee should take into account.

Agree Donal.
Could go back to the debate of saying professional game the ref could say nothing as all players know what they are doing... in fact I think some people will say up to circa L8 all players have a pretty good understanding of what they are doing.
Anyway, right down my reffing end plenty of talk and advice seems to be OK.

 

[SimonSmith]

Not so sure - that's why the pre match talk is brief, and directive as to my expectations of them, rather than "here's how I will referee this phase/that phase...."

That sort of stuff backs you into a corner.

 

[Dixie]

He's wearing a Pink Bow Tie sweatshirt - anyone admit to knowing why? And indeed, is Pink Bow Tie anything other than an article of neck apparel?

 

[FlipFlop]

Pink bow ties are the logo for Eden Park - the clothing firm. From the days of Stade Francais wearing them on the field...

Not sure if there is a connection.

 

[Davet]

Agree Donal.
Could go back to the debate of saying professional game the ref could say nothing as all players know what they are doing... in fact I think some people will say up to circa L8 all players have a pretty good understanding of what they are doing.
Anyway, right down my reffing end plenty of talk and advice seems to be OK.

But not in the pre-game briefing.

Keep that short and to the point - Are FR STE, and theScrum Engage sequence are the only mandatory items. If you waffle on about kep your feet, do this, don't do that then you may as well be talking to yourself, 'cos sure as eggs is eggs they aren't listening - excelet for the bit when you same something that you later regret.

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

Pink bow ties are the logo for Eden Park - the clothing firm. From the days of Stade Francais wearing them on the field...

Not sure if there is a connection.

Eden Park was owned by Franck Mesnel the ex French Centre I think.

Was it Stade Francais or Racing Club?

I think RC played Agen (anyway Berbizier's team) in the French Cup Final in 1989 ish and the RC backs wore long pink shorts and also sported pink caps and bow ties - "Le City Slickers" won IIRC - they even drank Champagne at half time!

 

[Casey Bee]

But not in the pre-game briefing.

Keep that short and to the point - Are FR STE, and theScrum Engage sequence are the only mandatory items. If you waffle on about kep your feet, do this, don't do that then you may as well be talking to yourself, 'cos sure as eggs is eggs they aren't listening - excelet for the bit when you same something that you later regret.

Yep, hear what you and other posters say re pre game brief.

 

[Wert Twacky]

The questioned posed by the interviewer was a direct question posed about what Owens would say to the players before the HC final... and not
"what advice would you give aspiring referees at grass routes to level regarding the pre-match chitty-chat to players?"

Can we not hijack the thread about the pre-match brief? Ta muchly.

 

[Davet]

The original post did not pose a question.

2nd post referred to what grassroots refs should do, implying that they should talk lots pre-game.

So I don't see how the thread is being hijacked. Muchly or not!

 

[Donal1988]

Actually I meant my post (which started all this) as a question not as a statement. I did forget to include my question mark.:nono:

Anyway point is I dont think its any more off topic than talking about French teams wearing pick bow ties in the 1980s

 

[Wert Twacky]

I didn't mean to touch a nerve Dave T - apologies.

But the topic of what's the best practice before a game (WRT to pre-match briefs etc) is a complex and very important one, and while I agree it's very worthy of discussion, I simply didn't think this thread would be the best platform for it.

My original post was intended to point out that the interviewer in the NO piece asked what NO would say to the two teams pre HC final.
Donal's response was merely to point out this would not be best practice at our level and he is, of course, entirely correct.

All I meant to elude to was that NO was responding to a totally different question.

Clear as mud/pink neck tie I think?

 

[Donal1988]

Having watched it again I am trying very hard to remember his performance in that Munster v Wasps game which is the best he ever refereed. :chin:

I remember it was wet. VERY wet. Wasps got 2 yellow cards and we won 19-3. One for for Simon Shaw not retreating 10m and McGeechan gave some diplomatic criticism: “Simon Shaw’s yellow card was crucial but these are decisions you have to live with. I don’t think we got the benefit of some of the refereeing decisions, which might have swung the pendulum a bit our way.”

Lawrence Dallaglio said "I am not sure it was a sin-bin offence, a penalty yes, but in the context of the game, it helped them gain the momentum. Small decisions make a big difference but it is not sour grapes."

 

[didds]

in fact I think some people will say up to circa L8 all players have a pretty good understanding of what they are doing.

BWA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

[not aimed at Kevin I can assure you!]

*dabs eyes with handkerchief*
Oh.,.. that's the finniest thing I've read in years...

didds