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VRRA Newsletter Edition 2 March 2018

victorianreferees.sportzvault.com www.facebook.com/vicrugbyrefs/

Victorian Rugby Referees Association

It’s not my plan to pump out a newsletter a month but with the fantastic annual update just passed I thought it was a good idea to centralise some of the material covered. Great turn out at the event all let’s keep these numbers up for the future education sessions! A reminder that most of the up to date resources are found on the website. : http://victorianreferees.sportzvault.com

~ Rock

Upcoming Event: Monthly Education Meeeting When: Wednesday 28th March Where: Henry & the Fox in Melbourne Time: 6:30pm start (pre assembly from 6pm)

VRRA Annual Update The update on Saturday 24th February was a well-attended and very informative session. If you were not able to attend please keep an eye on Rugby Victoria postings in social media and the Rugby Victoria Website to see if you have an opportunity to attend a “Blue Card” education session. Details of documents and presentations will be in the website shortly for you to be able to review.

VRRA Annual Update Stop the press…..

Big shout out and congratulations to Amber Hibbard, who has been appointed to referee the opening game of the new Super W tournament - Queensland v NSW, as a curtain raiser to the SR match in Brisbane on 10th March 2018.

Further congratulations to our very own Rachel Horton, Yvonne Savea and Mel Nash who have also been

appointed for AR & Coaching duties. Go Well and DFIU!

Registrations Reminder if you have not done so to register for Season 2018 using the Rugby Portal…follow the links. http://victorianreferees.sportzvault.com/ Any issues with log on or questions: VRRA Secretary ([email protected])

VRRA Members Facebook

If you are on FACEBOOK and not added to the VRRA Members page then please join. Lots of informal discussion about games and law issues…and a bit of banter…off season/pre-season / in season!

http://victorianreferees.sportzvault.com/

http://victorianreferees.sportzvault.com/

mailto:[email protected]




Game Management Guidelines 2018

We were very fortunate to have Jamie McGregor from Rugby Australis to run us through some of the law modifications and 2017/2018 Trials. A couple of highlights: SCRUM: Front Row Gap: On Bind there must be a visible gap (i.e. not shoulder on) – Jamie suggested reintroducing the phrase ‘ear – to – ear’ in our pre match. 2nd Row Crutch Binding (U16+) This means that for the 2018 season, ‘crutch binding’ will be legal in age groups U16 and above, and illegal in age groups U15 and below. (This is also consistent with the age cut-off at which players may lift on the legs in lineouts.) At age groups U15 and below, binding between the legs of either prop by either lock is illegal. Feed & Strike: Not required to indicate to the halfback to feed. Half back may offset their shoulder on their side of the tunnel but ball must be fed straight. Front row play must strike for the ball. #8 Playing the Ball: #8 may reach in under the legs of locks legs to retrieve the ball but must stay bound with one arm. Line Out: Receiver If the team elects to have a receiver they must be located 2m from the lineout when the lineout is formed. Ruck (not tackle only) Ruck Offside Lines If the team commits at least one player is on their feet and over the ball which is on the ground (tackled player, tackler). At this point the offside line is created. Note: There is NO CHANGE to the 2017 approach regarding when arriving players may play for the ball. Even if an attacking player gets over the ball first (forming a one person ‘ruck’), a defensive jackal player can still go for the ball with their hands if they are the first arriving player from their team. As in 2017, if two opponents make physical contact over the ball first, no hands can be used. Ruck: No Kicking A player must not kick the ball out of a ruck. The player can only hook it in a backwards motion. (PK) All of the changes and the game management guidelines into a half page of Rock Reporting. So please make sure you have read the documentation, watched the PowerPoint again and asked the question if you are not sure. Thanks to Jamie and all of the referees present for the long but detailed discussion on the changes. Jamie has made an amended WR Law Book with indications of the sections that contain a 2017 or 2018 Law Variations and Trial Laws. Downloadable at: http://www.rugbyaustralia.com.au/referees/Laws.aspx

http://www.rugbyaustralia.com.au/referees/Laws.aspx




Blue Card Introduction 2018 The most important section of the update day was the introduction of the Concussion Management Guidance & Procedures. Following very successful trials in 2017, the Rugby Australia’s National Safety Committee has approved the recommendation for mandatory use of Blue Cards in all club, school and domestic representative rugby beginning in matches from 1st March 2018. In matches of U13 and older, when a player leaves the field due to signs and symptoms of concussion or suspected concussion, the referee will show the player a Blue Card.

This card is a visual cue for team support staff, it must be recorded by team officials, and triggers an off-field medical process to begin.

This off-field process (which applies to all rugby, not just U13s and older) is detailed in Rugby Australia’s Concussion Procedure 2018.

http://www.rugbyaustralia.com.au/runningrugby/PolicyRegister/ConcussionProcedureManagement

Rugby Australia has included the following Law change ‘a tactically replaced player may return to play to replace a player who has been shown a Blue Card.

If you were unable to get to the update or just want another refresher on the details and you must attend one of the other education sessions on the Blue Card. This is a requirements from Rugby Australia. Upcoming Blue Card Training Dates are :

Monday: March 12

Monday: March 26

Monday: April 16 Contact Justin Carroll : [email protected]

VRRA on Tour In want is now fast becoming an annual appointment the VRRA’s own John Stitt and Rob Edwards have been in South East Asia recently for the International Rugby 10’s in Bangkok. Make sure you have a chat with them at the next meeting…buy them a pint and they’ll tell you all the stories!

http://www.rugbyaustralia.com.au/runningrugby/PolicyRegister/ConcussionProcedureManagement





Rugby AU Rugby Portal https://rugby.force.com/rugbyportal

The RUGBY LEARNING CENTRE (featuring our very own Matt Van Heerden) will take you to the education and accreditations resources.

If you have any current re-accreditation of partially completed units they will appear on the first page – My Learning

To check the status of your current accreditations click on My Accredicatitions. This will bring up your educational transcript which shows your current accreditations.

The REFEREE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM is the most important section for the week to week refereeing information. This is where you can

enter unavailability dates,

enter if you have and club or team association to assist with appointments,

check your club appointment history

post Send Off reports

post incident report (e.g. Referee Abuse)

SIDELINE will take you to the external site where you can prepare your weekly GPR if you wish and for referee coaches to enter reports and field assessments. You can also view historical reports / assessments.

Contact details for Referees and Referee Coaches are available.

Referees are encouraged to prepare a 2018 Season Plan setting your goals for the season. I might be worthwhile having a chat with one of the coaches prior to completing the plan to give you some additional support with your goal settings

https://rugby.force.com/rugbyportal




Super Rugby Review

At the update we were fortunate to have the Australian Members of the Super Rugby Team from the Rebels vs Reds match the evening before (Nick Berry AR; Ian Smith TMO; Jordan Way AR) prepared to face the music and the questions from the members. Our own honorary member Brendan Pickerill sent his apologies but had an early flight home to NZ.

They all came from different backgrounds in refereeing…Nick (ex professional player), Ian (late bloomer after social connections) & Jordan (Player and referee through his youth and made the decision to follow the officials path. Getting some insights in to their referee development pathways and the external pressures that referees in the professional game face was an insight.

Nick Berry, Ian Smith, Jordan Way

Season Calendar @ 24 Feb 2018

Season Calendar that Al presented at the update.




VRRA Community Engagement

Rob Osborne (VRRA Committee Member) presented to the members an idea to foster better community engagement. This presentation is included for those members not at the update for input.

Overview & Objectives

The VRRA has many stakeholders in Victoria including Rugby Victoria, the Victorian Rugby Clubs, players, coaches, spectators, parents of junior players, media & media personalities and other match officials either within our association or from other associations.

We have a responsibility to deliver the best service we possibly can with professionalism, empathy and respect towards all our stakeholders. We do this within the framework, guidelines and education provided by our own association, Rugby Victoria (RV), Rugby Australia (RA) and World Rugby (WR).

There is however, in my opinion, more we can and should do to assist in the delivery of this service and make our roles as match officials easier and more enjoyable. One of these things is around Community Engagement and building stronger relationships with our stakeholders.

To this end, I am proposing a plan to implement a number of initiatives that will ultimately result in:

1. A better relationship with all our stakeholders 2. A clearer understanding of the role of the match official 3. Improvement in respect of all match officials in line with core rugby values 4. Education of all stakeholders in the laws, GMG and code of conduct 5. Improvement in behaviours of stakeholders towards match officials 6. Reduction in the number of adverse incidents involving match officials

At the update Rob asked all match officials to list:

1. 3 things that they believe make our roles difficult with respect to our stakeholders / things that should be improved

2. 1 idea or innovative idea that will assist with an improvement.

If you were not at the update and feel that you have some feedback to offer then please email you thoughts and comments via the VRRA Secretary ([email protected])

Henry & The Fox We want to welcome Henry & The Fox as a new sponsor.

Our Monthly education meeting and other social events

will be held here and we encourage members who are

looking for a place to dine or unwind in the city to drop in

and thank them for the support.

(03) 9614 3277

525 Little Collins St, Melbourne

[email protected]



vrra annual updatevictorianreferees.sportzvault.com/files/64295/files/vrra in touch ed… ·...

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