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Ulster Society of Rugby<br />
Football Referees’ News<br />
We welcome Mike Adamson (SRU) and his<br />
team of officials to Kingspan Stadium this<br />
evening for this Round 4 fixture in the <strong>UR</strong>C.<br />
Mike is only one of a team of eight officials<br />
involved in the game. As well as the three<br />
on field officials, there is also a TMO, a citing<br />
commissioner, a timekeeper and a fourth<br />
and fifth official. So what do they all do?<br />
Citing commissioner – this is an independent<br />
person who will watch the game and look<br />
for any potential acts of foul play. Each<br />
team also has a certain length of time<br />
(usually 48 hours after the final whistle) to<br />
report any issues to the commissioner after<br />
the game. These are then dealt with by a<br />
judicial panel.<br />
Timekeeper – he/she is in communication<br />
with the referee and stops and starts<br />
the stadium clock as and when required.<br />
Remember that a game of rugby does<br />
not necessarily end when the clock hits<br />
80 minutes. It stops when the ball next<br />
becomes dead (see quiz on right).<br />
TMO – assists the referee with on field<br />
decisions such as grounding of the ball and<br />
foul play. Look out for a feature on this role<br />
in a future match programme!<br />
Perhaps the most difficult role of any of<br />
the match officials is that of the 4th and<br />
5th official! Not only do they need to keep<br />
the technical zones tidy and the personnel<br />
within them calm, they also control the<br />
replacements coming on and off the pitch,<br />
along with timing sin bins, blood injuries,<br />
Head Injury Assessments and liaising with<br />
the broadcaster over replacements. And<br />
then there is the post-match paperwork!<br />
There is never a quiet night!<br />
If you could see yourself in one of those<br />
roles, why not consider taking up refereeing<br />
where you could progress to become an<br />
official in the professional game?<br />
If interested, please contact<br />
Richard Kerr<br />
Referee Development Manager<br />
richard.kerr@irfu.ie | 07493 868388<br />
Quick-fire Law quiz:<br />
1. When does a half end?<br />
2. When can a referee not play<br />
advantage?<br />
3. What is the minimum width of<br />
a pitch?<br />
4. How many players are required to<br />
form a maul?<br />
5. The ball bounces off the corner post<br />
and rolls into in goal. An attacking<br />
player touches it down. Decision?<br />
Answers:<br />
1. When the ball becomes dead after time has expired unless:<br />
- A scrum, lineout or restart kick following a try or<br />
touchdown awarded before time has expired has not been<br />
completed<br />
- The referee awards a free kick or penalty<br />
- A penalty is kicked into touch without first being tapped.<br />
- A try has been scored in which case a conversion can be<br />
taken<br />
2. When the ball or player in possession of the ball touches<br />
the referee;<br />
The ball comes out of either end of the tunnel at a scrum;<br />
A scrum is wheeled through 90 degrees;<br />
A player in a scrum is forced upwards;<br />
A quick throw, free kick or penalty is taken incorrectly;<br />
The ball is made dead;<br />
It would be dangerous to play on;<br />
It is suspected that a player is seriously injured<br />
3. 68 metres<br />
4. At least three – the ball carrier and at least one from<br />
each team<br />
5. Award a try<br />
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