Continued promotion of consistency was the key message for the world’s top referees and referee managers at the annual IRB High Performance Referees meeting in London on Monday.
Under the central theme of global and consistent performance, the meeting provided an opportunity to consider refereeing best practice and review performance in key areas of the game as momentum builds towards Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand.
With the November Tests underway and a return to attacking rugby over the past year, IRB referee manager Paddy O’Brien, reiterated the importance of continued consistent and universal application of law in five key areas, in accordance with directives issued to all Unions in November 2009:
* Offsides at the ruck
* Offside from kicks
* Illegal maul formation causing obstruction
* Scrum engagement sequence
* Accuracy of application of the tackle law
“The annual referees meeting is a key element of the referee feedback and training process and enables us to review performances as a team, assess fitness objectives, consider the latest trends in the game and reiterate the key focus areas to ensure consistency,” said O’Brien.
“Referees and the world’s top coaches have bought into the obligation to penalise clear and obvious offences in the five areas that are our top priority.
“Collectively we are committed to promoting global consistency of the application of laws at Test and national competition level as we build to the World Cup.”
The scrum continues to be a major focus area and the referees were reminded of their obligation to take charge of the scrum sequence and to ensure strict and consistent application of all aspects of scrum laws.
“The 2010 Tri Nations saw a 40% decrease in the number of scrum resets compared to the 2010 June tier one Tests, so this area of the game is improving.
“The coaches have all expressed their support of the referee leading the crouch, touch, pause, engage scrum sequence and sanctioning players who fail to follow the calling of the engagement procedure, particularly early engagement.
“The message to the referees is clear. We require greater consistency at the elite level and compliance is critical in this key area of the game,” added O’Brien. – Sapa
“The scrum continues to be a major focus area and the referees were reminded of their obligation to take charge of the scrum sequence and to ensure strict and consistent application of all aspects of scrum laws”
The way they did it so far is scary. Just hope they study the scrum dynamics (and read what Tight Head said)
The pause is the problem with early engagement.
Refs need to understand that 2 front rows crouched and ready to hit in are both wanting to go as soon as possible and it is vital to gain an advantage on the hit which means that a split second ahead of the opposition is vital.
They need to understand that this is a very important part of the contest.
Therefore right now there should be as short a pause as possible and it should be consistent from ref to ref.
However in my view the pause can be done away with and the call can be “Crouch, Touch, Hit”
This means that provided the 2 front rows are both crouched and close enough to each other to touch, then the contest can start.
I think we will see fewer re sets, fewer penalties and a better contest this way.
For many years nobody had to tell the front rows when to hit in and the better organized scrum that was in position and ready to scrum early often had the advantage.
This is part of the discipline and contest.
And please don’t tell me that these scrum calls of “crouch, touch, pause, engage” have anything to do with safety.
At first class level front rows are skilled at what they are doing.
When last did you see a front row forward get injured in a scrum at top class level?
It does not happen.
“Crouch, touch, pause, engage” should be for school boy rugby and used as a training discipline for young players.
“the referees were reminded of their obligation to take charge”
This is the root of the problem Mr NO’Brien , some of your refs want to take center stage , the main mackie. You listen to MY call.
Like you or some one else said there is 800+ kilograms weight to be controlled on 6 legs, synchronization is of utmost importance.
If the refs want it each their own way they can just as well make every scrum set like uncontested scrums and shout at their own time PUSH.
The problem with the engage is no referee has the same timing.
They should parctice this in a chior, all together now.
Crouch, 1001, Touch, 1001, pause, 1001, engage.
Another area they should look at is playing advantage: How many phases can a team play before they have the advantage? Depending where play is happening on the field, one can get anything from 2 or 3 phases to 5 or more phases, depending also if the team is defending or attacking. Then when does a kick give an advantage or not? (some refs rule advantage over the moment a ball is kicked, while others wait and see where the ball lands). In my mind the only time a team loses advantage is an attempted drop kick.
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