Intouch Edition 1, 2010 - SA Rugby Referees

intouchwith South African RefereesEdition 1, 2010www.sareferees.co.zaGallo/Getty ImagesVarsity Cup panela winning ideaThe third edition of the annual Varsity Cup saw the introduction of a specialisedrefereeing panel to oversee the tournament. In-touch spoke to VC panel membersArchie Sehlako, Matt Kemp and Ben Crouse about their experience with what hasproven to be a successful first season for the panel.Luke Burger inaction when TUTtravelled to CapeTown to face UCTin FebruaryThe Varsity Cup has quickly establisheditself as the premier university rugbycompetition in South Africa, fillinga niche that benefits both supporters andplayers. With the tournament’s profileincreasing every year, and used as a testingground for referee initiatives such as thewhite card, a 23-man expanded bench andreferees acting as TMOs, the next step hasbeen the establishment of a specialisedreferee panel for the nine-week competition.So what have been the major benefits ofserving on a dedicated panel? Sharks refereeArchie Sehlako says, ‘The players have seenthe same guys refereeing every Monday. It’salso allowed the guys to get more game timeduring the season, which is quite beneficial.’Matt Kemp, his Western Province colleague,looks at it slightly differently. ‘Knowingupfront that you have a certain numberof games in the competition helps withpreparation for those games.’ He alsobelieves that a dedicated panel helpspromote consistency in the referee group,since fewer games are refereed by differentindividuals.An added feature of this season’s VarsityCup is the after-match function held for thecompeting teams, their management staffand match officials. Blue Bulls referee BenCrouse believes the functions are a greatinitiative. ‘The after-match functions arehow I came to know rugby, where socialisingafter the game leads to enemies on thefield becoming lifelong friends off it. It alsoallows the players to revisit some situationswith the referee and to maybe get his viewand reasoning for certain decisions. Theplayers are given the opportunity to realisethat we, as referees, are human after all.’This year has proven to be a successful onefor the first specialised Varsity Cup panel,with this season’s group of referees setting ahigh standard for future panels to follow.Tiaan has thefinal wordGolden Lions and Provincial Panelreferee Tiaan Jonker was appointed tohandle the Varsity Cup final betweenUCT and Maties on 29 March inStellenbosch. ‘There are somefantastic referees in the Varsity Cup,so it was a huge honour for me tohave been appointed to referee thefinal,’ he says. ‘This is my third yearrefereeing in a great tournament - itnever fails to live up to expectations.’In this issue...The BigFourSOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY REFEREE SOCIETY NEWSLETTERNEWSLETTER OF SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY REFEREES’Paddy’s Patch21years ofserviceCraig JoubertRastashows thewaypg 4 pg 9 pg 12www.sareferees.co.za1

Ref’s-eye viewOne way for folk off the field to see exactly whatthe referee does is by way of a camera mountedinto a headband worn by the ref during the match.During two pre-seasonmatches at Newlands,Jonathan Kaplan and MarkLawrence could be seenwearing headbands. These weren’ta fashion statement: mounted intoeach headband was a small camera,facing forward to see and recordexactly what Kaplan and Lawrencedid. The data was uploaded to ahard drive worn on their backs,which could then be downloadedfor assessment purposes afterthe match.Pumas websitegoes onlineThe Mpumalanga Rugby Referees’Society recently re-launched theirwebsite, www.pumarefs.co.za. Ifyou’re a referee in Mpumalanga, this isthe place to go for news, updates, Lawdiscussions and event information.The headband-camera may also beused as a training tool in future,for simulated refereeing duringmatch-official training. The refereesits watching a match on a screenand then makes his decisions, all ofwhich can be monitored and tested.For armchair fans, another possiblefuture use for the camera is to actas another option for the TV viewerto see the match from the referee’sviewpoint.The Pumas are back prowling the web.BokSmart becomes thestandard in South AfricaOrganised rugby matches in South Africawill not be allowed to take place nextyear unless the participating coaches andmatch officials are BokSmart certified.The ruling was one of several decisionsratified by the provincial unions at theSARU Annual General Meeting on Friday.The impact of the new rules will be toimprove rugby’s safety record as part ofthe wide-ranging BokSmart national rugbysafety programme.The key regulations approvedby the provinces include:schools must comply with theseregulations and ensure that they informall their members of the regulationsand their obligation.• Provinces, clubs, rugby bodies andschools must ensure that all affiliatedmatch officials and coaches areBokSmart certified and their detailsrecorded.• As of 1 April this year, players youngerthan 18 years old shall not be allowedto play senior rugby in any position,at any level of rugby under the auspicesof SARU or any of its provincial unions,without special waiver.• As of 1 April this year, players youngerthan 19 years old shall not be allowedto play senior rugby in the front rowat any level of rugby under the auspicesof SARU or any of its provincial unions,• Provinces, clubs, rugby bodies andschools shall not be allowed to host anymatch without ensuring that all matchofficials and participating coaches areBokSmart certified.without special waiver.• Provinces, clubs, rugby bodies andNEWSLETTER OF SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY REFEREES’Referee websitesLooking for information aboutrefereeing in other regions? Here are afew addresses to get you started.Western Province – www.wprugbyrefs.co.zaBlue Bulls – www.bullrefs.co.zaGolden Lions - www.lionsrugby.co.zaFor more information about thenew regulations and BokSmart,log onto www.boksmart.com.www.sareferees.co.zaalliancephoto.comMark Lawrence sports the latest in referee designer-wearSTOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRES• Only players who have been identifiedwithin the provincial or nationalstructures with the potential to play atelite provincial level or above can applyfor a waiver.“These regulations have the potential toradically change the landscape of injuryprevention in South African rugby forthe rest of time,” said Dr Wayne Viljoen,SARU’s BokSmart project manager.BokSmart has conducted more than208 workshops across the 14 SouthAfrican rugby unions, certifying atotal of 5493 referees and coachessince its launch in July 2009.7

Referees Academy Squad expandsSouth African Refereesare expanding thescope of their academyprogramme, aimed atproducing more topreferees.The Academy Squad wasintroduced a couple of seasonsback to act as an additionallevel so promising refereeshave the opportunity to refine theirskills and push for higher honours.The success of this initiative meantthe squad had to be divided into tworegions (Coastal and Inland) to makeadministration and coaching moreefficient. Now, a further division hasbecome necessary, and the squad willconsist of four regions.Speaking of the academy’sachievements, André Watson, managerof SA Referees, says, ‘Eugene Danielsand Louis Mzomba did sterlingwork in tandem with the provincialrugby development officers, withsome referees having come throughthe system to reach the ContendersSquad and Provincial Panel. RastaRashivenga (page 12) is but only oneexample.’Michael Cupido and Mandla Dakusehave volunteered to become coachesfor two of the new regions, and Andrésays he’s delighted to have people oftheir calibre and experience involved.The responsibilities of the fourAcademy Squad regional coaches arescouting, talent identification and fasttrackingreferees from disadvantagedareas to the next level. Daniels ashead coach will be responsible foroverseeing the overall structure of theAcademy squad and ensuring that itoperates in accordance with SA RugbyReferees’ guidelines and procedures.The reporting channel for Mzomba,Cupido and Dakuse will be throughDaniels to SARRA.REGIONS AND COACHES1. Vaal Region (Blue Bulls, Lions,Restarts can nolonger end a matchDuring the Wales-France SixNations encounter, with thegame having reached fulltime, Wales were 26-20 down afterscoring. French flyhalf FrédéricMichalak took the restart and kickedthe ball along the ground in front ofthe 10-metre line into touch, and thereferee endedthe game.• does not kick the ball 10 metres,• kicks the ball directly into touchor• kicks the ball dead on or overthe opponents’ touch-in-goal ordead-ball line,• then the referee will offer thenon-offending team the optionsprovided by Laws 13.7, 13.8and 13.9.2.3.4.Pumas, Valke, Leopards): MichaelCupidoCoastal Region (Western Province,Boland, Eagles, Sharks): LouisMzombaSouthern Kings (Eastern Province,Border): Mandla DakuseCentral Region (Cheetahs,Griffons, Griquas): Eugene DanielsThe Golden Lions’ RDO Michael Cupido is oneof the newly appointed coaches.After the issue was raised by Wales,the designated members of theIRB’s Rugby Committee ruled that ifthere’s been a score towards the endof the game and there’s time for thekick-off to take place, but time willexpire immediately after the kick,and the kicker:The non-offending team can eitherask for the kick to be re-taken, beawarded a scrum in the centre of thepitch, or be awarded a line-out onthe halfway line if the ball goes outon the full. Once the ball goes deadafter the restart, but not includingthe restart, the match is over.Gallo/Getty ImagesFrédéric Michalak’s actions instigated theruling change8www.sareferees.co.zaNEWSLETTER OF SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY REFEREES’

RONALD DAVIDRonald David began his 21st year as21 years of serviceRonald David, referee manager at the Border Rugby Union,grew up in Chalumna, a rural area outside East London,where he played rugby and refereed friendly matches. Whenhe finished school he moved to East London itself, wherehe became increasingly involved with the whistle.‘I joined the EL Rugby Referees’ Society in 1989 while I was playingrugby for EL Police,’ he says, and it wasn’t long before he realisedthat he needed to choose between playing the game or becomingmore involved with refereeing.In 1996 Ronald was appointed to officiate during the U19 Coca-ColaAcademy Week in Port Elizabeth. ‘I learnt a lot from other refereesand the atmosphere was good. In 1998 I was again appointed to theU19 Coca-Cola Academy Week, in Durban. In 2000 I officiated inthe U16 Academy Week in Sasolburg.’He also officiated at the 2001 Eastern Coastal Academy Weekin Durban.‘Every possible step you take is a seedthat brings you closer to your dream’a member of the East London RugbyReferees’ Society in 2010. In-touchspoke to him about his long careerwith the whistle.In 2009 the EL Rugby Referees’ Society recognised his service,awarding him the 20 Years of Faithful Service Certificate.Ronald enjoys meeting people involved in the game and introducingnew faces to rugby through refereeing. ‘I give thanks to God, whoenabled me to use this wonderful talent that He has given me,’ hesays, adding that he uses his talent daily.His advice to people involved in the game and refereeing? ‘Successis a race in which everyone can be a winner. Every positive step youtake is a seed that brings you closer to your dream, no matter howsmall the step is. So, if you can’t run, walk. If you can’t walk, crawl.Whatever you’re doing, just keep moving forward. Those who want towin the prize must be willing to pay the price.’Ronald David has been involved with refereeing in theBorder region for over two decades.NEWSLETTER OF SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY REFEREES’www.sareferees.co.za9

Tap ‘n GoNews fromaroundthe countryMark Lawrencehits Super 14 half-centuryMark Lawrence refereed his 50th Super rugby match in the middleof March when the Crusaders clashed with the Chiefs at Hamilton.In-touch congratulates Mark on his achievement, and wishes him thebest for the rest of the season.Blue Bulls Refs’ Society elects new executiveKosie HornAt the general meeting at the endof November last year, the BlueBulls Rugby Referees’ Societyelected Gerhard Roodt as its newchairman to replace Oscar Somers, who wasno longer available.Somers served the society with distinction,and he, along with the incredibly hardworkingKosie Horn, former referee managerat the Blue Bulls and now manager oftraining and education at the Pretoria basedunion, were elected as Life Members of theSociety.Gerhard Roodt joined the Society in 1982and was appointed vice-chair in 2004. He’salso held the match appointments secretaryportfolio for many seasons.The Society has two sections, one basedin Pretoria and the other covering the vastexpanse of Limpopo. The Society started theyear with 121 active members in Pretoriaand 26 in Limpopo, and ended it with101 active referees in Pretoria and 31 inLimpopo.EXECUTIVE FOR 2010/2011Chairperson: Gerhard RoodtVice-chairperson: JohanMakkinkAssessment and Coaching:Kobus BeukesFinances: Gerhard vanNiekerkMembers and Social:Joppie KunzA team’s medical staff are allowed to enter the playing area when necessary.alliancephoto.comTechnical zone changeThe International Rugby Board has produced aslightly changed protocol for the technical zone,the area where non-playing team officials mustbe if they are within the playing enclosure.The protocol now specifies that the head coachis not allowed to run onto the field with water.Other coaching staff are allowed to be watercarriers,such as doctors and physios.10 www.sareferees.co.za NEWSLETTER OF SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY REFEREES’

Gabriel Pappas moves positionat the Golden LionsGabriel Pappas, South Africa’sfirst official and longest-servingreferee manager, has shiftedposition within the GoldenLions Rugby Union after beingappointed divisional manager forsupported services.Gabriel became a referee in1976, and has served on thecommittee of the Golden LionsRugby Referees’ Society since 1992.In 1996 he became the first refereemanager in South Africa who was afull-time employee of his respectiveunion.Career highlights for Gabriel includethe 1995 Rugby World Cup in SouthAfrica, the 1996 Students WorldCup and the 2002 IRB U21 WorldChampionship, and he cites beingable to associate with referees fromall over the world as a favourite partof his job.In his new position, the formerGolden Lions referee manager willdeal mainly with the union’s corporategovernance in relation statutorycompliance, operational riskmanagement and the implementationof strategic initiatives.. He also hopesto develop the union’s archives andget a museum going.Gabriel has been replaced as refereemanager by Theuns Naudé. In-touchwishes Gabriel and Theuns the bestfor the future.Citing and citing inconsistencyhas been an issue of concernthroughout the rugby worldfor some time. To try toalleviate this problem, SANZAR hasappointed a citing commissionerin each country – Scott Nowlandfor Australia, Steve Hinds for NewZealand and Freek Burger for SouthAfrica.Citing is generally regarded as theresult of an offence worthy of a redcard. Under the new system, citingcommissioners could also examinewhat would probably have been ayellow-card offence and notifythe player’s team accordingly. This isImportant dates – 2010EVENTEaster Tournament CampEaster Schools TournamentsReferees management meetingReferees management meetingNational/Prov/CC coaches meetingProvincial & Women’s courseU16 Week (Kimberley)Special Schools Week (George)U13 Week (Graaff Reniet)Academy Week (Vryheid)U18 Craven Week (Welkom)*Please note that these dates are subject to changeSANZAR refines citing processSANZAR is taking steps to achieve greater citing consistency and toeliminate the ongoing suspicion that nationality leads to citing bias.seen as a proactive measure againstfoul play.Nowland and Hinds are bothexperienced citing commissioners,and Burger, once a representativeplayer and a Test referee who oversawtwo Super rugby finals and a formermanager of South African referees,has been involved in citing over thelast two years.Each of the commissioners is requiredto watch every Super 14 match ontelevision, to ensure a standardisedview. The three commissioners willdiscuss incidents – the process isreferred to as ‘calibration’ – as soonGallo/Getty ImagesDATE29 – 31 March3 – 6 April15 April14 May8 June10 June14 – 17 June14 – 17 June14 – 18 June22 – 25 June29 June – 3 Julyas possible after matches, and thefinal decision of whether or not to citewill rest with the citing commissionerin whose country the incidentoccurred.Referral to the respective judicialofficer must take place within 24hours of the match, and the actualhearing may take place in a countryin which the incident did not occur.If a player is cited for an incidentin Johannesburg, for example, thehearing may take place in Perth ifthat is his home city.NEWSLETTER OF SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY REFEREES’www.sareferees.co.za111

Rasta shows the way forAcademy graduatesFhatuwani Rasivhenga became the first referee to graduate fromthe Academy Squad to the Provincial Panel with the naming ofthe SARU referee panels for 2010.Fhatuwani Rasivhenge, or‘Rasta’ to his colleagues, hasbeen a match official for fouryears, but had an interestingintroduction to the whiste. ‘It allstarted when I went to play rugby atWits after I left school. I ran on as asubstitute for the U19s when we wereplaying Randfontein. As the gameended, one of my team mates toldthe referee that he was an idiot and Iconfronted him about what he’d said.I later went up to the referee whilewe were having some refreshmentsand he advised me to join the GoldenLions Rugby Referees’ Society.’Rasta signed up at the next societymeeting.Rasta, who teaches at Jeppe HighSchool for Boys, was included in lastyear’s Academy Squad. This squadwas introduced three seasons ago toact as a nursery for up-and-comingreferees. It was, says Rasta, a greatexperience and certainly improvedhis refereeing. ‘It’s a phase I believeevery referee should go through, asyou’re afforded opportunities thatopen doors for you.’ Rasta praised theadministrative staff and the coaches,who he says ‘strive for perfectionwhich helps each referee strivefor excellence’, and made specialmention of former Golden Lionsreferee manager Gabriel Pappas,Theuns Naude, Tappe Henning, AndrèWatson and academy coaches EugeneDaniels, Phillip du Toit and ThusoMngqibisa.The Johannesburg resident enjoys theeducational aspect that refereeingoffers. ‘Each game and moment givedifferent satisfactions, emotions andthe opportunity to stretch myA rose among the thornsBoland referee Roslyn Fortuin was voted Boland’s Referee of the Yearlast season, beating out several men to the title. Having just returnedfrom Hong Kong where she was refereeing at the Women’s Hong KongSevens, Roslyn spoke to In-touch to find out more about SA’s toprankedfemale referee.Roslyn Fortuin, the numberonewomen’s referee in thecountry, recently took hertalents overseas, followingin the footsteps of South Africancolleagues Jenny Bentel, Kim Smit andEugenia Daniels, when she officiatedat the Women’s Hong Kong Sevens, thetop event on the IRB Sevens circuit.‘The assessors were happy with myperformance, and I’m proud to saythat I refereed at the right standard. Itwas really enjoyable,’ she says.Roslyn had spent four years playingthe game when she decided to switchto blowing the whistle. She wasapproached by Ivan Pekeur, Boland’sreferee manager, who saw in her thepotential to be a good referee. Sherefereed in the Boland region for twoyears, and in her third year was chosenfor the Women’s Contenders Panel.She now heads up SARU’s Women’sNational Panel.Originally from Paarl and now ateacher in Worcester, Roslyn refereedat the Sub-union tournament inVredenberg in 2008, and in 2009she controlled the Women’s A Leaguefinal in Port Elizabeth. In the sameyear, she became the first woman toreferee a men’s Premier League matchin Boland, and today she officiatesmen’s matches on a regular basis forthe Boland Rugby Union.Roslyn says that without the assistanceof Pekeur and SA Referees’ coachNeville Heilbron, among others,her refereeing career wouldn’t haveFhatuwani ‘Rasta’ Ravishenga is the firstgraduate from the Academy Squad to beplaced on the Provincial Panel.capabilities. I don’t think thereare substitutes for the experiencesrefereeing offers.’ Through referring,Rasta says, ‘You’ll learn moreabout yourself, serve a hobby that’sfruitful and worthwhile, buildrelationships and become a championin many rights.’And his future ambitions? ‘I wantto be the best in the world and getmarried five minutes before I blow thewhistle for the kick-off of the RugbyWorld Cup Final.’BRURoslyn Fortuin was voted as Boland’s Referee ofthe Year last yearadvanced as far as it has today. Andshe makes special mention of herlate father, Simon. ‘My father, whilenot involved in rugby, was extremelysupportive, giving me advice and tipswhenever I needed them.’A large part of refereeing is controllingthe game environment, and that’s oneof the aspects Roslyn enjoys the most,along with ‘being introduced to newpeople and cultures, giving back tothe community, and being given theopportunity to referee big games’.12 2www.sareferees.co.zaNEWSLETTER OF SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY REFEREES’