WPL 2018

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From: Richard Every <revery@usarugby.org>
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2018, 9:17:37 AM EDT
Subject: WPL 2018

The WPL is in its 10th year and is the leading women’s competition in the USA. We are excited to present a new opportunity for match officials. The WPL has been identified as a pathway for referees and referee coaches, to strengthen refereeing in the USA, and for those that aspire toward professional and international rugby. We are offering both referees and referee coaches the following development and resources, structured on the professional rugby model that includes:

• Referee Online Video Self-Review
• CMO Online Video Review
• Weekly Match Official Online Meetings – Recorded and available online if you have a conflict
• Weekly Best Practices and Video Clips
• Referee Development Manager: Amanda Cox
• Match Fees: Referee $100 / Referee Coach $50
• HP Referee Manager: Richard Every

All successful applicants from your LRO, would, in return, be required to present online meetings to their LRO to ensure that information and resources are shared and are also benefiting the LRO and its members.

To be part of this great opportunity, referees and referee coaches can apply HERE: https://www.cognitoforms.com/ADVANTAGE5/WPLMatchOfficialApplication

You would need the support of your LRO. Only officials that participate in the competition will be considered for the playoffs and finals.

APPLICATIONS CLOSE FRIDAY, JULY 6th, 2018.

Chop tackles

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From: Richard Every <revery@usarugby.org>
Date: Thu, Apr 19, 2018 at 2:24 PM
Subject: April 19, 2018 – CHOP TACKLES
As we move through the playoff matches toward the championships, the intensity in matches will increase significantly.

Please take a serious note of the following:

  1. FOUL PLAY: It appears that we need to take it up another notch or two. As mentioned before, foul play is a player issue, and it is not to be debated. Address it, and eliminate it from the game – we don’t need it in rugby. Safety is priority.
    1. Chop tackles
      1. Minimum YC
      2. Targeted at the joint – RC
    2. Shoulder charge without an attempt to wrap – minimum YC
    3. Tackling a player in the air:
      1. If both players have a realistic opportunity to catch the ball – play on,
      2. If not, it is how the player lands:
        1. On their legs – PK
        2. On their side or lower back – PK & YC
        3. On their upper back/head – PK & RC
    4. Dump tackle: Lifting a player and turning them parallel to the ground or beyond:
      1. If the tackler realizes the problem and they hold the player and put them down safely, play on,
      2. If not:
        1. PK & YC
        2. Player lands on upper back neck/head – PK & RC
        3. Dropping the player – RC
  2. SCRUM:
    1. Be patient and set the scrum up correctly, shoulders in line, bodies straight.
    2. If a player pushes the opposition player up in the air, IT IS CONSIDERED VERY DANGEROUS, blow your whistle immediately for a PK, if they continue to push, YC

Two Items from Richard Every

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From: Richard Every <revery@usarugby.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2018, 9:53:36 AM EDT
Subject: NCS – Foul Play, In-Goal Positioning, Assistant Refereeing by RICHARD EVERY, HPRM, USA RUGBY on Apr 11, 2018

All,

Please find the presentation PPT: HERE

The presentation video can be viewed: HERE

 

 

From: Richard Every <revery@usarugby.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2018, 2:49:49 PM EDT
Subject: April 12th, 2018
Referees,

As we move into the “business end” of the season for the PRP, D1A and NCS College Playoffs, I would like to share some thoughts on a best practices approach:

  1. FOUL PLAY:
    1. We are not looking for foul play, and we most certainly are not on the hunt to YC the first opportunity in a game, “to settle matters” as some have stated. It is never something that has been communicated from management and is an approach that sets the foundation for an uneven performance.
    2. Do put the onus on players to play within the Law. It includes:
      1. Eliminating foul play by setting high standards and not debating.
      2. Finding a balance by managing players that are functioning in a high stress environment – always be respectful.
  2. SCRUM:
    1. The key for the referee is to slow down the bind-set. Be patient.
    2. Reward legal dominance.
    3. Keep backrows bound until the ball is out.
  1. BREAKDOWN:
    1. There seems to be a trend to referee the breakdown less, rather than setting clear markers for players.
    2. At the breakdown, less leads to more inconsistency.
    3. Eliminate sealing, and hands on the ground beyond the ball (by both attack and defense). Often referees are debating materiality here, but if you eliminate it, it allows for quicker ball, and better contest when teams are vulnerable for turnovers.
  2. LINEOUT:
    1. Manage the gap – bigger gap allows more room for the throw-in and results in structured lineouts and better maul formation.
  3. GENERAL PLAY:
    1. Quick Taps:
      1. When you delay a PK at the breakdown, it allows an ideal opportunity for a quick tap – so be aware of it.
      2. Be sure you have an understanding with the scrumhalves before the game that the mark is in the region of the infringement, not where you are standing.
      3. Awareness that a quick tap may be taken will assist you in facilitating it to support quick play.
    2. Kicks:
      1. Please, manage players in front of the kicker, in general play, and restarts.

Spring Season Focus Areas – 4/4/18

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From: Richard Every <revery@usarugby.org>
Date: Wed, Apr 4, 2018 at 10:15 AM
Subject: Spring Season Focus Areas – 4/4/18
All,

We are well into the Spring Season and want to be clear on a few areas:

  1. SCRUM:
    1. Be patient, slow down the BIND to SET call – be sure the scrum is steady.
    2. #8 has to be bound prior to the SET – seeing the slingshot quietly making its way back
    3. Credible feed, has to be hooked – team putting in cannot simply drive over the ball
  2. BREAKDOWN:
    1. Tackler: If the tackler is slow to move, you should not be rewarding the tackler assist or first arriving player as the tackler prevents the ball carrier from exercising their options.
    2. Tackler Assist: Clear release and through the gate
  3. SPACE:
    1. Slow ball leads to more offside. Manage space from the outset.
    2. Appears some defenses are setting up a few meters behind the offside line and to gain more momentum – this is difficult for referees and AR’s to monitor and will either take time for everyone to adjust to make accurate calls.
    3. Restarts – remind players to remain behind the kicker.
  4. LINEOUTS: Formation
    1. Players may not approach the lineout, stop a distance away, then move into the lineout to gain momentum on the jump – manage initially, then FK.
    2. Players may take a quick lineout by continuing to move toward a lineout and jump when they arrive.

Two Items

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A couple of things:

1. Penalty tries. If you award a PT, you must issue a Yellow Card. There are only two reasons for not issuing a YC:

  • The act of foul play was not considered deliberate. To be honest, the list of ways in which that can arise is so short as to be almost negligible.
  • You can’t identify the perpetrator. About the only example I can think of here is a maul heading to the goal line that gets collapsed and you can’t affirmatively ID the perp.

2. Yellow Cards – If given, they MUST be issued. If you are unclear on where things are to be reported, that information is available on this site.

If you have any questions, ask!

Uncontested scrums

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From: Richard Every <revery@usarugby.org>
Date: Fri, Feb 9, 2018 at 6:54 PM

UNCONTESTED SCRUMS – Both teams must always have 8 players in an uncontested scrum.

[This applies in all games, regardless of the number of players being used.]

The scenarios below only apply when a team is using the full roster of 23.  The scenarios presume that uncontested scrums are required because of the specialist nature of front row positions (such as if both the starting and the replacement hooker are injured).

  1. Two front row players replaced through injury, and one of the new subs, PLAYER A, gets injured:
    1. Uncontested scrums
    2. The remaining front row PLAYER B needs to come on to be in the front row of the uncontested scrum and another PLAYER C from that team needs to leave the field
    3. Team plays with 14 players for the remainder of the match
  2. Two front row players replaced through injury, and one of the new subs, PLAYER A, gets a YC:
    1. Uncontested scrums
    2. The remaining front row PLAYER B needs to come on to be in the front row of the uncontested scrum and another PLAYER C from that team needs to leave the field
    3. An additional nominated PLAYER D needs to leave the field
    4. Team plays with 13 players
    5. When the suspension period is complete, PLAYER A comes off, PLAYERS B, C and D return
  3. Two front row players replaced through injury, and one of the new subs, PLAYER A, gets a RC:
    1. Uncontested scrums
    2. The remaining front row PLAYER B needs to come on to be in the front row of the uncontested scrum and another PLAYER C from that team needs to leave the field
    3. An additional nominated PLAYER D needs to leave the field
    4. Team plays with 13 players for the remainder of the match
  4. Two front row players replaced through injury, and one of the new subs, PLAYER A, goes off for BLOOD, and the team has a suitable temporary replacement to continue contested scrums. The temporary replacement player is injured:  [This also applies if PLAYER A was injured as a result of foul play by the opponents.]
    1. Uncontested scrums
    2. Any PLAYER can come on to be in the front row of the uncontested scrum
    3. NO additional player needs to leave the field
    4. Team plays with 15 players until the BLOOD returns
    5. If they cannot return to the match, revert to Option 1