Page 115 - Lansdowne Yearbook 2020-21 Master Digital Edition

There is a minimal fixed time Below are a couple of incidents which
commitment required other than on I believe are of relevance to show how
match days which suited me at that difficult the referee’s job can be.
time and there are opportunities to be
involved at whatever level you wish (up 1) The 5-metre scrum: in my first season,
to a point at least). I was given a trial I was asked at short notice to referee
match in April 1998. After this it seems, Blackrock 1sts vs Bective on the morning of
you are assessed in one of two ways: an international. I have mentioned earlier
the enthusiasm of players to assist referees
(i) with some guidance it would be to make decisions, and I hope Monty, the
reasonably safe to let this man out Bective flanker will not mind if I mention
in charge of 30 adults on a Saturday him as one of the most helpful in this
afternoon, regard (he really ought to bring a whistle
on to the field himself!). About 20 minutes
OR into the game with Bective leading by 10
points, a series of scrums were held on the
(ii) how can we tell this guy that his Bective line, with Blackrock marginally the
talents might be better deployed stronger of the two packs.
elsewhere!
So where was I to watch? the ball? the
Fortunately, it seems I was in the former defending scrum half to make sure he
group and I started refereeing shortly stayed onside and didn’t interfere with
after that and I quickly realised how the attacking scrum half? the defending
extraordinarily helpful so many people flankers and number 8 to ensure they
are. There is never a shortage of people stayed bound? the props on the near side?
(players, spectators, and particularly the props on the far side?
coaches) who are willing to give their
point of view and offer very firm advice Would I be able to take the short way
on what decision you should make! round the scrum to arrive ahead of the
scrum half if he broke right?
Since then, I have some good and If you take your eye of any one of these, you
bad days of course. I have had many may miss something crucial elsewhere!
matches where players responded to
my attempts to keep the game flowing, Two collapsed scrums later, I was still
learned quickly how I was refereeing struggling. Monty and his Bective
at contact situations, adapted to this, colleagues were imploring me to tell
and all went well. In contrast I had Blackrock to keep the scrum up. The
several where every play seemed to end Blackrock players and supporters were
up in a pile of bodies cursing at each baying for a penalty try. Fortunately, the
other and me, leaving me wondering Blackrock number 8 lost control of the ball
whether it was just me who couldn’t in the third scrum and Monty hacked it
help them, or whether they were beyond up field to the great relief of the Bective
help. In general, though, the good has supporters and the referee!
outweighed the bad (or so I think) and I
continued until last year when a return It is certainly easier to watch a scrum from
to playing tag meant tag matches and the touchline forty metres away and to
refereeing were on the same day, and I make a decision that does not carry any
have finally admitted that I can’t manage weight. It is substantially more difficult to
both on the same day! watch all of these things, and impossible

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YEARBOOK 2020-2021