Filed under: Dan Cottrell, Rugby Refereeing | Tags: parents, refereeing, respect
I don’t referee every week. Perhaps every couple of weeks plus some practice games.
Normally it is my son’s team, who are Under 10s, and the other week, a Welsh Women’s training game.
Every referee in rugby gets thanked after the game. Perhaps through gritted teeth, but at least there is some thanks. Wayne Barnes, one of the RFUs international referees, told me that it is good to discuss the game afterwards in a friendly manner over a beer. It is a sort of soothing process because not everyone agrees with your decisions.
I am not battle hardened as a referee. I am sensitive to my mistakes. However 16+ years of refereeing kids’ rugby (plus basketball, football, netball and hockey) have taught me to remain fair, not try to even up decisions and referee what YOU see, not what others tell you.
The two other Under 10s coaches for my team and I are bias. The trouble is we are bias to the other teams. I suppose it is because we are either teachers, or an ex teacher in my case.
And that’s why it is a thankless task. Because during the game we don’t try to give our team any quarter, and perhaps are a little less stringent on the opposition. So when a mindless parent or over excited coach shouts something about our decisions, it is very frustrating. No amount of “thanks” at the end can prevent the heart racing a little when you hear dissention from the sidelines.
Here is a great video from the FA to watch on the matter.
Filed under: Better Rugby Blog Guests, Dan Cottrell, Rugby Coaching | Tags: how to win, lineouts, Springboks, strategy, tactics, The Roar
Here is a good summary of the Springboks success over the Tri Nations and, by association, the Lions. It comes from the sports blog, the Roar.
A third Tri Nations championship to the Springboks has capped off a year of achievement for South African rugby, writes Sam Taulelei for The Roar.
Coach Peter de Villiers and his assistants Dick Muir and Gary Gold changed their freestyle approach from last year and developed a more structured, playing strategy based upon pressure, pressure, pressure. A quote from NZ rugby columnist Marc Hinton succinctly sums up their season: “The reality is the Boks don’t beat you with their brilliance. They beat you with their resilience.”
By applying and sustaining pressure they strangled the life out of their opposition like a giant anaconda. They were dominant at the lineout, and used intelligent, accurate kicking, strong defence and relentless chasing. However it was the introduction of two newcomers to the side that had a dramatic effect on the Springboks fortunes in this year’s Tri Nations.
The enforced selection of impressive newcomer Heinrich Brussow through injury to Schalk Burger, proved to be an inspired and inspirational choice.
A large part of the Springboks’ success was a lack of serious injury; they were a largely settled squad and were able to establish combinations particularly in key positions.
Will their Tri Nations success automatically translate to a successful, unbeaten spring tour for the Springboks? This sees tests against France, Italy and Ireland, plus midweek matches against English Guinness Premiership clubs Leicester Tigers and Saracens.
