EXPLANATORY GUIDE

Referee’s Guidelines

2011

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ContentsGuidelines 2011

TACKLE IDENTIFICATION 4DOMINANT TACKLE 4SURRENDER TACKLE 4RUCK DEFENCE 4STANDING IN TACKLE 5RUCK ATTACK 5PLAYER SAFETY 510 METRES 6SPEARING OUT OF OWN IN GOAL 6OFFSIDE 6RESTARTS OF PLAY 7 GOAL LINE DROP OUT 7 20M RESTART 7 PENALTY 7 KICK OFF 7OBSTRUCTION 8BLOCKERS ON KICKS 8DOWNTOWN CHASERS 8DISTRACTING GOAL KICKER 8SUPPORTING BALL CARRIER 9BALL STRIPPING INGOAL 9MUTUAL INFRINGEMENT 9SCRUMS 9BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT 10SIN BIN 10DISSENT 10ADVANTAGE 10

VIDEO REFEREE GROUNDING THE BALL FROM KICK OR LOOSE BALL 12GROUNDING THE BALL IN POSSESSION 12DOUBLE MOVEMENT 12OBSTRUCTION 12FOUL PLAY 13HIGH TACKLES 13

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Referee’s Guidelines 2011TACKLE IDENTIFICATION

The referee has the sole responsibility to adjudicate on the tackle. His tackle identification will determine what he expects from defenders in the tackle. The referee will allow more time for a low defender to release the legs of the ball carrier.

DOMINANT TACKLE DEFINITION

The referee will call dominant tackle only when the defence wins the tackle upon impact.

SURRENDER TACKLE DEFINITION

A surrender tackle will be called if the ball carrier surrenders his run in or at the line.If a surrender tackle is called the defender/s may:

1. Work the player on the ground, move to a bear hug position, lay on and spin to the front of the tackle.

2. When working the player on the ground defender/s are not permitted to do this by using the ball carriers head or neck as a lever. This will be deemed a grapple tackle.

Referees vocabulary – “surrender”. The referee will indicate when he requires the defender/s to move off the tackle.

RUCK DEFENCE

A penalty is required against a defender/s when any of the following impact on the speed of the play the ball.

a. Flops late onto a ball carrier on the ground.b. Works the ball carrier on the ground.c. Leg pulls.d. Places his hand on the ball once the tackle is complete.e. Spins on the ball carrier to an advantageous defensive position.f. Multiple defenders “peeling” off the ball carrier.g. Climbs back over the top of the tackled player h. Levers off any part of the tackled players body.i. Contacts the tackled player whilst in the process of playing the ball.j. Crowds the play the ball by using his knee/s or body.

NOTE: A one on one legs tackle will be allowed to spin off providing he does it quickly.

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A penalty is required against a defender/s when.a. Kicks the ball out of the ruck.b. The markers are not square, float, go earlier or are too deep and become involved.

STANDING IN THE TACKLE

Once the referee has called ‘HELD’ the attacking player is to be released immediately to play the ball.If the ball carrier is then pulled to the ground or another defender joins in the tackle a penalty is to be awarded.If the ball carrier offloads the ball after the tackle has been called a penalty is to be awarded against the ball carrier unless the referee deems it to be simultaneous in which case he will form a scrum.Where the defenders lift the ball carrier the referee will call ‘HELD’ if he believes the tackle could affect the player’s safety.

RUCK ATTACK

It is the responsibility of the tackled player to play the ball when he can in the correct manner where the tackle has been completed. The tackled player must stand up with balance and control, lift the ball clear of the ground and make a genuine attempt to play the ball with the foot.

NOTE: If the referee calls ‘HELD’ and a player simultaneously continues, as he has not heard the call, the referee may stop play and send the player back to play the ball.

PLAYER SAFETY

In the interest of player safety the following will attract penalties.

a) Any high contact with the head or neck.b) Grapple or crusher tacklesc) Chicken wingsd) Attacking the head of a player whilst he is on the ground.e) Unnecessary contact on a player when he is no longer in possession.f) An unnecessary hit on the kicker.

NOTE: A penalty try, eight point try, sin bin or penalty can be awarded against a player who slides in feet first attempting to prevent a try.

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10 METRES

The defensive line may move forward once the ball clears the ruck.

Definition: Clear of the ruck means when the ball is positioned behind the foot of the player playing the ball.

Refs Vocab. “GO”

SPEARING OUT OF OWN IN-GOAL

1. If the ball carrier spears out of his own in goal the referee will identify the tackle as a surrender tackle.

2. Call on the ball carrier to get to his feet and continue his run. If the player fails to do so the referee will adjudicate a voluntary tackle.

3. Allow the defending team to place their hand or dive on the ball carrier constituting a tackle has been made.

NOTE: the defending player/s cannot lift or drag the ball carrier back into the in-goal.

OFFSIDE

A player is offside when he has one foot (either on or off the ground) in front of one of his own team who touches, is touched by, held or kicked the ball.

The referee can consider whether an offside player remains passive and allow play to proceed. (Advantage)

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RESTARTS OF PLAY

GOAL LINE DROP OUT

a) From the time the referee signals goal line drop out the defending team will be required to have recommenced play within 40 seconds.

b) The referee will give a warning when there is 10 seconds left.c) Failure to take the drop out within the stipulated 40 seconds will result in a penalty.d) A goal line drop out may be taken quickly if:

1. The referee is in position.2. The referee has signalled to recommence play.3. The kick is to be taken behind and in the centre of the goal line.

e) If in the opinion of the referee the kicking team is deliberately delaying the restart the referee may call time off as he can at any stage during the game.

f) All players must be onside when the drop out is taken or they will be penalised.

20M RESTART

A 20 metre restart may be taken quickly when:

a) The referee has signalled for play to recommence.b) The kick is taken on the centre of the 20m line.c) All players from the team taking the restart are onside.

KICK OFF

The referee shall not allow a kick off until all 4 officials are in position.All players are to be onside or a penalty will be awarded.

PENALTY

A player may take a quick restart from a penalty kick but only after the referee has indicated the mark verbally and physically.

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OBSTRUCTION

a) It is the responsibility of the decoy runner/s not to interfere with the defending team.b) The ball runner cannot run behind his own team and gain an advantage.c) A sweep player may receive the ball on the inside of a block runner as long as there

is depth on the pass to him. It there is no depth he needs to receive the ball on the outside of the block runner.

d) Defensive decisions that commit defenders to decoy runners will not be considered obstruction.

e) Attacking players who loiter next to the play the ball can be interpreted as obstructing the defending team.

f) In the process of scoring a try an attacking player dives through or into the legs of the player who has played the ball a penalty will be awarded to the defending team. This action will be interpreted as obstruction.

g) If in the opinion of the referee/video referee the play had no effect on the scoring of the try the try will be awarded.

BLOCKERS ON KICKS

A defending player shielding a catcher from attacking players must position himself early.It will be interpreted as obstruction if the defender:

a) Arrives at the same time as the attacking chasers and deliberately obstructs the catching of the high ball.

b) Deliberately runs the attacking chasers off the football.

DOWNTOWN CHASERS

Any player who is in front of the kicker in a general play kick is not permitted too intentionally advance beyond the point of the previous play the ball until the ball has gone past the offside player.

DISTRACTING GOALKICKER

It is illegal to distract the attention of a player who is kicking for goal.

Players from the non-kicking side must position themselves as follows:a. Conversion attempt. Players must be behind their own goal line or outside the

touch line. b. Penalty kick at goal. Not less than ten metres from the mark or on their goal line.

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SUPPORTING BALL CARRIER

It is permissible for attacking player/s to lend weight to the ball carrier with an objective of not losing ground. The referee will call ‘HELD’ when this occurs.It is not permissible for the attacking player/s to impede any defender from making a tackle. The referee will penalise if this occurs. Note: The referee will take into account any momentum the tackle has generated after the referee has called the tackle.

BALL STRIPPING IN-GOAL

The ball may be stripped from the ball carrier if the ball carrier is attempting to ground the ball for a try. Note: Defenders cannot deliberately hold the ball carrier up simply to strip the ball unless the ball carrier is clearly attempting to ground the ball.

MUTUAL INFRINGEMENT

In the case of a mutual infringement, play will re-start with a scrum, loose head and feed to the team with the territorial advantage. However if in the opinion of the referee contact (player or ball) has been made deliberately with him by the team in possession a penalty will be awarded against that team.

SCRUMSThe scrum is to be bound correctly.

Ball side props to have their outside leg forward.

The ball is to be fed into the tunnel with the halfback standing square and with both hands on the ball.

The scrum is not to break until the referee has called ‘out’.

NOTE: The binding and formation along with the breaking of the scrum will be policed.If a team is bound and ready to contest a scrum the referee will call time out. If any of the six bound players break from the scrum before it is contested, the referee will blow time back on. However the referee may verbally indicate to the team stopping the clock that they may stand up but must stay bound.

The referee will hold the game up to replace a bleeding player, but trainers must first advise the referee that an interchange is going to take place.

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BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT

The Benefit of the Doubt rule applies to the attacking team.

SIN BIN

There are four main areas for use of the sin bina. Repeated infringements;b. Deliberate break down of the play, especially in try scoring positions:c. Cooling off; and d. Dissent

DISSENT

Verbal abuse or casting aspersions of the referee’s ability or integrity will not be tolerated.A captain may approach the referee to clarify a ruling.Referees will not debate decisions with captains.Captains should not use the process to deliberately slow the opposing team’s momentum. It will be at the discretion of the referee as to whether a clarification of a decision is to be carried out immediately or at a later time in the match.Breaches may lead to advancing the mark, sin bin or dismissal.

ADVANTAGE

Allows play to proceed if it is to the advantage of the team, which has not committed an offence or infringement.

The referee will determine when a team has taken their advantage.

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VIDEO REFEREE

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VIDEO REFEREE

GROUNDING OF THE BALL FROM KICK OR LOOSE BALL

Ball Stationary – Downward pressure.Ball Rolling – Downward pressure, grounding by hand, arm or torso.Note: The video referee looks for ball rotation changes.The front of the torso may bring the ball to ground.

GROUNDING THE BALL IN POSSESSION

The ball must be placed on the ground with hand/s or arm.If separation occurs during grounding of the ball for a try possession can be regained by the hand or arm regaining contact with the ball prior to it hitting the ground.If in the process of scoring a try the ball comes in contact with a defender the Video Referee must consider whether the ball has only stayed in the hand because of the contact. If he concludes it did it will be a knock on and no try.

DOUBLE MOVEMENT

The attacking player must not promote the football from the position the ball or the arm carrying the ball has been grounded, in the process of scoring a try.If momentum carries a player in possession into the in-goal area, it will not be a double movement if the ball would have finished over the goal line regardless of any subsequent movement of the ball or the arm carrying the ball.

OBSTRUCTION

It is the responsibility of the decoy runner/s not to interfere with the defending team.The ball carrier cannot run behind a decoy runner and gain an advantage.A sweep player may receive the ball on the inside of a block runner as long as there is depth on the pass to him. If there is no depth, he needs to receive the ball on the outside of the block runner.Defensive decisions that commit defenders to decoy runners will not be considered obstruction.If in the opinion of the video referee the play had no effect on the scoring of the try the try will be awarded.Attacking players who loiter next to the play the ball can be interpreted as obstructing the defending team.

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In the process of scoring a try an attacking player dives through or into the legs of the player who has played the ball a penalty will be awarded to the defending team. This action will be interpreted as an obstruction.

A defending player shielding a catcher from attacking chasers must position himself early. It will be interpreted as obstruction if the defender

a. Arrives at the same time as the attacking chasers and deliberately obstructs the catching of the high ball.

b. Deliberately runs the attacking chasers off the football.

FOUL PLAY

The Video Referee’s power to intervene on foul play replicates those of the sideline official.The VR may advise the Referee of an incident of foul play of which he was previously unaware. As a result of that advice the Referee may take any necessary action except to the extent that play has extended beyond the 1st play the ball of the next set, or in the event of a scrum having been formed and decided. In this case the Referee may still put the incident on report.

HIGH TACKLES

In the case of high contact on the ball carrier the VR may only intervene if in his opinion the incident needs to be placed on report, sin bin or dismissal.

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