Whether you are refereeing in training (a good thing!) or have to referee your team on a Sunday (not such a good thing!), you will probably find yourself refereeing in some capacity this season.
You will need to be confident that you can apply the laws as a coach to satisfy referees who take charge of your team. And if you do find yourself reffing, then it’s far more than that…game management, crowd control, position, language, whistle control and signals.
Thank you to the great twitter-sphere, here is a summary of the insightful responses of those who find themselves reffing their team on a Sunday morning. MORE
Referees are very sharp on ball poachers who put their hands on the ground before grabbing for the ball. You must make your players whiter-than-whiter and also far more accurate in this area. It will reduce your penalty count and increase your chances of stealing the ball. Make sure that your ball poaching is not... MORE
You might hope not to have to get involved in refereeing, or “game coaching” as it is becoming known, or you might be dead keen to try. These days the objective is a free-flowing game, so the person with the whistle is more of a helper than a referee. Each side having a coach is... MORE
With the exciting possibility of a return to rugby less than five weeks away, here are two ideas and a bunch of activities to get you and your coaches ready. MORE
When you return to rugby, there will be a long list of areas you need to do to rebuild your team's skill levels and understanding. Here are four games that can cover a range of outcomes, building in complexity, moving towards the full game. MORE
In this planning for post-lockdown training, we are going to look at the supporting roles around the ball carrier. Specifically, the way that players are ready to take a pass to attack space or once the defensive line is broken. To enhance learning, you are better off focusing on an “arc” of learning for a specific area. This means spreading out the training over a number of weeks, rather than dedicating one session to this. Here’s a four-week plan for busting the line and supporting, but you can split this up into more sections if you want. MORE
In this planning for post-lockdown training, we are going to look at breaking the defensive line. Specifically, the best body shapes, lines of running, handling and support roles. MORE
If you are able to train, then you will be aiming to improve your players’ skills and tactical appreciation around specific areas of the game. If you are in lockdown, it’s a chance to hone your session planning in readiness for your return. MORE
In Lockdown planning: Quick ruck ball sessions, we focused on applying pressure on the defence. Now, let's plan for the other side of the ball. France's defence coach, Shaun Edwards says that it is his main metric for success: slowing down ruck possession. To enhance learning, you are better off focusing on an “arc” of learning for a specific area. This means spreading out the training over a number of weeks, rather than dedicating one session to this. MORE
