aim is to get a team from these prisoners to play in the local club league.

Transcription

1 intouch with South African Referees Edition 3, 2010 Rugby goes inside Kat Rugby and refereeing are taking off in Northern Cape prisons. Swanepoel hands over kit to aspiring referees from the new Kimberley Prison. While inmates in many prisons around South Africa play rugby, it wasn t until Griekwas amateur rugby manager Zingi Hela, together with referee manager Kat Swanepoel, approached the Northern Cape Correctional Services Department that it became more formalised in the province s brand-new Kimberley Prison. Interestingly, it was the arrival of a number of inmates from the Eastern and Western Cape, where rugby has a strong following, that caused a mindshift because these guys did not want to play soccer, says Kat. Our aim is to get a team from these prisoners to play in the local club league. With the cooperation of Correctional Services, an inhouse Rugby Day was organised at the new Kimberley Prison. Coaching development officer Alvero Baardman assisted with coaching and Kat presented an entry-level refereeing course to six aspirant referees all passed with flying colours. In addition to the theoretical and practical side of things, the learner referees also undertook the bleep test a not-too-shabby 10,4 was achieved by one! Playing conditions were less than ideal but we ve approached the authorities and moves are already underway to ensure a safer environment. The enthusiasm for the game and desire to referee was really encouraging; in fact, there was one person who has real potential to progress up the refereeing ranks. Now, wouldn t that be a good-news story? says Kat. Griekwas Rugby Union handed over kit, whistles and Law Books and will continue to support the initiative. Importantly, all referee candidates and coaches completed the BokSmart programme. In this issue... The view from the grandstand SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY REFEREE SOCIETY NEWSLETTER Paddy s Patch A true multi-tasker Craig Joubert SA Referee Panels for 2011 pg 8 pg 9 pg 10 1

2 Chairperson s report The South African Rugby Referees Association can be justifiably proud of the service rendered by its members at all levels of the game throughout the country this past season. One benchmark to measure performance is the number of representatives we have on the various IRB panels, and I m very proud to say this has grown to 14. In addition to the four referees, two television match officials, two performance reviewers and the selector, Christie du Preez was appointed to the AR panel (Cobus retains his place), Roslyn Fortuin is part of the IRB Women s Development Squad, and Jason Jaftha and Stuart Berry will be part of the IRB World Series. Well done to each of them. On the local front, we released the names of those on our various Panels in November they appear on page 10. As always, there will be a couple of people who will feel aggrieved but I believe the promotions and demotions are a fair reflection of reality. The selection and grading subcommittee has gone to great lengths to ensure their decisions are based on fact after analysing a huge amount of information, including fitness tests, match reviewer reports, coaching reports and examination marks. It s our intention in 2011 to review the Panels during the season to reward those who ve made progress and ensure that we can provide the best available referees at all times. The decision to introduce a Contenders Squad in 2005 has paid off handsomely. It is proving to be a valuable place for up-and-coming referees to gain additional experience and for those struggling on the Provincial Panel to have an opportunity to pick up their game again. In addition, the introduction of an Academy Squad is working well to identify and groom candidates for higher honours. While refereeing at Test level probably remains the goal of most referees, there are numerous other career options available to someone willing to serve the game. I encourage those who feel their refereeing path is restricted to consider other avenues, such as becoming an assistant referee or a television match official. Executives from SARRA have begun the process of visiting each provincial referee society and I ve been impressed with what I ve seen so far. The societies are where the grassroots work is done and it s up to each and every one of them to do their utmost to develop match officials. SARRA can assist but it s in schools and clubs where the hard work must be done to recruit and train aspiring referees. Exchanges between provinces is an ideal way for referees and match officials to gain experience without it having to cost a lot of money. We re making progress on the recruitment front but it s still too slow. The National Referee Recruitment Campaign has made strides this year with more than 450 potential referees making contact with the hotline, or SMS. This is a step in the right direction but we re planning to increase this number in Our goal remains to reach around trained and registered referees in South Africa. We continue to make progress on the communication front. The dedicated website is a treasure trove of information and is diligently updated. In addition to ongoing news stories of relevance to anyone interested in refereeing, there s access to clips highlighting specific elements of Law and a host of other interesting material. Why not make the website your home page when accessing the internet that way you ll be sure to keep abreast of the latest news from around the world. This newsletter In-touch continues to be well received. Copies are sent to all major rugby-playing unions across the globe and it s a great way for provincial societies to showcase their activities. A.pdf version is also available for download from the website. The SARRA office in Johannesburg has taken on additional personnel to cope with the increased administrative load. Special thanks go to Dana Eitzen and Lettie Coetzee for their hard work. Our working relationship with SA Rugby continues to be excellent. From the president Oregan Hoskins through the executive and to every level within the organisation, we re treated with respect and professionalism. On behalf of SARRA I extend our sincere gratitude for that. There are many, many people who deserve SARRA s thanks and recognition for all their hard work and effort much of it voluntary and to them I extend our appreciation. The business of refereeing is about involvement and commitment and I m proud to say that we have hundreds of individuals making a valuable contribution across the country. I d like to make special mention of and thanks to André Watson and his close-knit team. Not only are they highly competent at what they do but they re extremely professional in the way they go about it. We re privileged to have the calibre of people like André playing such a hands-on role in refereeing matters in this country. The new year is around the corner. The season will be off to a running start with the inaugural Super 15 tournament and highly popular Varsity Cup competitions in February. Those referees on the Panel will have their work cut out for them straight away, and they need to use the months ahead to prepare for the challenges that lie in wait. For the rest of us, enjoy the break and I hope you return re-energised and even more enthusiastic for the 2011 season and the IRB Rugby World Cup in September. Regards Steve Meintjes 2

3 Mayende makes his mark Sindile Mayende of the KwaZulu-Natal Referees Society was rewarded with the whistle for the Club Champs final after consistent displays during his stint at the tournament. Sindile Mayende, one of the top 10 referees in South Africa, delivered consistent performances en route to the final of the South African National Club Championships between Maties and College Rovers. It was played in entertaining fashion, with Rovers dashing the Stellenbosch students dream of a treble of titles with a win. The 27-year-old Sharks development officer has risen rapidly through the refereeing ranks since taking up the whistle in I realised that I was never going to become a Springbok player, so I decided to give refereeing a go, Mayende explains. I ve been surprised by my progress over the past few years and I will continue to work hard. My goal is to referee at Test level and the World Cup. Mayende pointed to Law application at scrum time as being the trickiest component to police at South Africa s premier club rugby competition. I had to put in extra effort on scrums because you often get big packs from clubs who are up against smaller, more mobile packs such as the university teams, he says. So it requires a good understanding of the Laws applicable to scrums. But I worked very hard before the tournament and it was a privilege for me to referee the final. 3

4 What s on my mind? By André Watson I can already hear the shouts of victory from the one camp! But what about negative play, for example, if the coach instructs his second-best flanker to go onto the field and late-tackle the opposition star flyhalf and write him off? The referee will order him off but we ll then send our best flanker on and have a better chance of winning the game as their star number 10 will be off the field due to injury. Clearly this is not the objective of maintaining the 15-vs-15 status. In order to stop this, it s proposed to severely punish the player sent off to discourage both players and coaches from being party to this type of behaviour. Those supporting the retention of the current system would argue that one should not point fingers at only the referees but that the players and coaches are equally, in fact, more responsible for what happens on the field. Referees are human and will miss infringements but players also make mistakes. One of the management tools available to referees is the yellow card, but it s a subject that continues to cause debate, with two schools of thought prevailing. Those against its use claim that: the team with a player in the sin bin concedes an average of 10 points during that period, the outcome of the game is changed when a player is sent to the bin, and referees play cards and, like a card game, they make a lottery of the game. Proponents maintain that: if a player plays dirty or negatively affects the game, he needs to be yellow-carded, and players transgress the Laws, not the referee the latter simply has to apply the Law. SANZAR, the body governing both Super Rugby and the Tri-Nations competitions, is considering proposals that will see 15 players from each team on the park at all times. This will mean that should a player be sent off by the referee, the player will be replaced from the bench in order to ensure equality in numbers. (The 15-vs-15 system will be trialled in the 2011 Varsity Cup competition more details closer to the time.) It s clear that both camps viewpoints have merit. I probably won t change your particular viewpoint but I do want to talk to the family of match officials of which I continue to be a proud member. The referee should: protect the ethos of the game, as it is bigger than any coach, player, administrator, referee or supporter; ensure a fair contest, never an equal one, as the players determine the latter; and apply the Laws according to the game in front of you, not the Law book. We ve had almost the same number of yellow cards this year compared to last year, yet some of the cards issued this season created confusion, anxiety and even anger. In my opinion, some were ridiculous. My view is shared by the chairman of WP Referees Society, Dan de Villiers, a top Currie Cup referee in the 90s. I quote part of an article he circulated to his Society: Don t get me wrong: foul or dangerous play must not be tolerated and those players intent on ruining the game as a sport must 4

5 be removed from the field and dealt with through the correct channels. But I m concerned that some referees use the yellow card to control players instead of brushing up on their peoplemanagement skills. What it comes down to is communication. Within the Laws, it s our job as referees to keep everyone on the field playing within the bounds of a fair contest. The action of removing one player from the field is severe and in many instances can swing the game completely to the advantage of the nonoffending team. This is fine if the sanction is warranted; let s just ensure we ve done our part before the card is used. I could not put it better, Dan well said, my friend and colleague! So, what can we do about this? While understanding and accepting that the man with the whistle and his assistants on the side will make errors from time to time, we all need to keep in mind the following regarding the issue of cards: Do not enforce, rather adjudicate. Do not issue a card when you feel you need to take control you probably have already lost it. Do not take player infringements personally if they don t listen, they need to feel the pain. Do not issue a card for repeated infringements too quickly. It s part of the game that players will infringe. They don t always infringe in order to spoil, but in desperation to defend, for example. Simply penalise the infringement. Do not be scared or hesitant to remove from the field players who re guilty of foul and dangerous play. The game doesn t need this and no-one will blame a referee who s hard on foul and dangerous play. Do not always nail the retaliator harder than the instigator. Why not penalise both equally? Do not be a bean counter and keep score of the number of infringements. It will colour your water and, in fact, paint a picture in your mind that is inaccurate. It might just be desperation, which is as much part of the game as missing a short putt is part of golf. Do not get involved in debates on the field of play. Use downtime to communicate with teams use the captain when a negative tendency develops. (Note that I say tendency and not a one-off incident.) Do manage and communicate to an offender when he s foolish. Do distinguish between blatant intent to spoil (deliberate infringement) and over-eagerness. Do ask yourself whether the game of the day actually deserves the card or not. Do distinguish between a blatant infringement for negative play and a technical infringement. Do realise that the players and spectators are looking to see a contest, and don t spoil this contest unless the infringement leaves you no option. I know it s not easy, but like the application of advantage, I believe the excellent refereeing performance separates itself from the average performance when the referee and not the cards manage the game. Happy reffing! 5

6 Tapping in to talent Tappe Henning spent the week at the Club Champs in Stellenbosch, where he kept a watchful eye on a number of the country s young referees. National Referees Coach Tappe Henning, along with SWD s Hulet Billet, were the two designated referee coaches at the recent South African National Club Championships, which often serves as a breeding ground for refereeing talent. Tappe is also one of the men tasked with grading and appointing referees at national and global level with the International Rugby Board (IRB). After spending more than two decades as a top-flight official, Tappe has considerable first-hand experience with the whistle and is able to deliver meticulous feedback and analysis as a referee coach. He joined the Northern Transvaal Referees Society in 1986 and went on to referee 250 firstclass matches, including 53 Super rugby matches and a Currie Cup Final. He was also in charge of 14 Tests between 1995 and Hi-tech help for refs The International Rugby Board is revolutionising the way international referees physically prepare for the demands of the modern Test arena by using the latest GPS technology. The modern referee is an athlete, says Paddy O Brien, the IRB s referee manager. Players across all positions are becoming fitter and the ball is in play longer than ever before, and it s important we ensure that the world s top referees have access to a conditioning support structure that allows them to achieve optimal individual standards both on match days and also in training sessions. This is important for, among other things, referees to be able to make clear decisions without being affected by fatigue, as matches can swing on the smallest of margins. Global Positioning Satellite technology allows us to truly monitor physical performance during a match and also within the training environment, says O Brien. It s very specific and the most accurate way to manage a referee s physical performance, identifying areas Tappe, currently one of the IRB s selectors and a dynamic presenter at referees courses, plays an essential role in performance evaluation a complex process involving a number of individuals. The man-in-the middle first needs to evaluate his own performance, then the match reviewer comes into play, before the coach implements discussion around onfield issues. Clear communication therefore plays an imperative role, according to the seasoned official. The roles of the coach and the match reviewer go hand-in-hand, he told In-touch. We work very closely with the match reviewer when we look at the performance of referees but it is a very intricate process. Nine referees were on show at the Club Champs and the individual-specific feedback and mentoring is of utmost importance. It is a very individualistic approach. We have to look at each referee as a separate case. It s not just a blanket evaluation, Tappe stressed. It is often very difficult to identify the referees tendencies as well as meeting them individually to discuss the performances. There s no set recipe but I ve learnt that gaining the that require improvement, promoting consistency and also managing the welfare of the athlete to ensure that they physically prepare in the most effective way possible. The GPS technology devices are housed within a vest worn over the shoulders and record invaluable data including heart rate, distance covered, speed of movement, body load (work rate) and field position. After each match the data is downloaded into a web-based performance-analysis system and managed by Matt Blair, the IRB s referee conditioning specialist. This data is then made available to the referees and their conditioning coaches, and from this, training programmes can be adjusted to optimise physical performance and promote consistency across the panel. A Game Summary Report is made available to referees once they have completed nine games. This report can then be used for the referee to adjust his current conditioning programme as well as manage his on-field positioning skills. In addition, and individual referee can benchmark himself against his referees confidence is most important and makes things a lot easier. Tappe was pleased with the performance of all the officials at the Club Champs but singled out KwaZulu-Natal s Sindile Mayende for his notable display during the tournament. He was also forthcoming with advice for budding officials wishing to take their game to the next level: The most important aspect for any referee is consistency. The outcomes or results must be consistent in all areas. They also need to be accurate and deliver clear calls. Mark Lawrence is a convert and believes in the merits of the system. The world s top referees can cover up to 8km and undertake 400 changes in speed during the average Test match. He maintains the system has been an important tool to adjust his positioning on the field. colleagues on the panel and according to IRB mean values. The IRB, in collaboration with its member unions, has constantly raised the bar in terms of the fitness levels that need to be achieved by referees at the very top level, says O Brien. In addition to GPS technology, the IRB Panel is subjected to year-round monitoring and assessment, with physical performance an important criterion in the selection process to ensure the highest possible standards. We are confident that the processes we have put in place working with our member unions mean that we have a panel of referees who are in the best physical shape for the demands of modern Test rugby. 6

7 Heritage Tournaments give Academy Squad a run Identifying and nurturing emerging talent is an important part of the referee recruitment campaign, and veteran referees Eugene Daniels and Louis Mzomba drive this process through the Academy Squad. Events such as the Easter Festivals, Heritage Tournaments and other school competitions are used to bring members of the Academy Squad together for intense scrutiny and coaching. This year 16 members of the Squad were in action at the Heritage Tournaments eight each at Alice and Mthatha respectively. Often we find that referees with potential slip through the normal selection channels and so the establishment of an Academy Squad has created a safety net to catch those who may have missed out, says Eugene Daniels. And it must be working because one of our earlier members, Rasta Rasivhenge, has subsequently gone on to the Provincial Panel. Of the 16 Academy referees, eight have been nominated for consideration on the 2011 Contenders Panel. These candidates will be subjected to additional testing and evaluation in the new year and, if successful, will be appointed to some of the Easter Tournament games in April. This is not a numbers game, Eugene explains. We are committed to developing and producing quality match officials who are on the various Panels because they are good enough to be there. Interestingly, we were able to sign up an additional 18 people at the Alice tournament who were keen to become referees in the future. 7

8 The view from the grandstand A number of up-andcoming whistlemen were on display at the recent Club Champs, where an integral part of the process used to gauge the competency of these refs is the role of the match reviewer. A tournament such as the South African National Club Championships is often used as a platform for referees development, and at this year s event in Stellenbosch in September various support structures were again in place to ensure accurate and constructive referee appraisal. Dennis Immelman (who relinquished his role as chairman of the Western Province Referees Society in 2010 to concentrate on his role at national and international level), along with Banks Yantolo and Arrie Schoonwinkel, were the match reviewers at the week-long tournament, providing an important link between the coaches and the men in the middle. The modern-day role of the match reviewer is not dissimilar to that of the former performance reviewer. However, these days the match reviewer takes on a more positive approach when analysing refs. This system initially started as a performance review but that was more about what mistakes the referee made, Immelman told In-touch. Now, we look at what contribution the referee makes during the game. While referee coaches play an important role in highlighting ongoing tendencies or problems during tournaments, the reviewer s input is also significant in accentuating competence. We work very closely with the coaches and the referees and in this way we are able to accurately assess levels of competence, Immelman explains. The reviewer also plays a pivotal role in streamlining the feedback and subsequent assessment undertaken by the referee coaches. The reviewer watches every game closely and the various anomalies are then relayed to the respective coaches, who in turn address tendencies. We look at the overall performance of the referees throughout a match and tournament. In this way, we are then able to pinpoint The best thing about being a referee is making new friends, learning new things about the game and seeing the world if you are fortunate enough. certain tendencies or see where a ref has a particular problem or area in need of attention, says Immelman. While the use of technology could be a helpful tool in aiding accurate appraisal and facilitating the process of review, Immelman stresses that it is not advisable to rely solely on technology in order to assess referees. At the Club Champs we did not have the luxury of a television while the games were played. At least two of the three match reviewers would be on duty for each game. However, we can always use the Fair Play system to confirm our findings afterwards, he says. While the retention of referees remains a major concern in South African rugby, the role of the reviewer has become a critical element in the process to preserve numbers and aid refereeing perfection. 8

9 A true multi-tasker She s a project manager for a firm of consulting engineers, and a busy wife and mother of two, but Engela Pretorius still finds time to chair the Border Rugby Referees Society. I m passionate about all aspects of the game, says Engela Pretorius, chair of the Border Rugby Referees Society. This enthusiasm initially showed when she volunteered to coach rugby at her son s primary school in East London, which quickly led to Engela wanting to know more about the Laws of the game. She applied for membership of the Border Rugby Referees Society and reffed her first game in the 2004 season, a women s club game. Engela refereed for four years, and assessed and coached referees for a further two. She remained actively involved in the Society, serving the committee as assistant treasurer and secretary before being nominated to the position of chairperson early in October this year. One of three women in the Society, Engela is positive about women in rugby. If you re competent, positive and show a love for the game, you can achieve anything, whether male or female, she says. The fact that she referees wheelchair rugby underlines this anyone can do it attitude. She is also aware of issues such as violence against referees and the importance of ongoing referee recruitment. Judging from the shirts this is a rugby-friendly household, from left daughter Sarie, Engela, husband Hennie and son Cassie. This ambassador of the sport looks forward to creating a positive attitude between referees, the game, players and spectators with the aim of improving the Society and the structure of the 178 clubs within the Border Union. She stresses that teamwork and support from committee members and referees are key. With a love for the game, a positive attitude, belief in yourself, support from friends and family and a willingness to learn and train hard, you can reach the goals you set for yourself Border breaks ground In a first for South African refereeing, Border selected a woman to head up their executive committee. Back, from left: Marius Rathbone and Kobus Oelefse. Front, from lleft: Mandla Dakuse, Engela Pretorius (chairperson) and Banks Yantolo. 9

10 SA Referee Panels for 2011 The Panels for 2011 have been announced. SARRA have indicated they will be reviewing the appointments during the year and there may be some fine-tuning done in line with on-field performance. National Panel (All Panels in alphabetical order.) Stuart Berry Jason Jaftha Marius Jonker Craig Joubert Jonathan Kaplan Mark Lawrence Pro Legoete Sindile Mayende Jaco Peyper Joey Salmans Lourens Van der Merwe 10

11 Burger Luke Crouse Ben De Bruin Gerrie Groenewald Francois Immelman Quinton Jam Lusanda Jonker Tiaan Kemp Matt Mdashe Mlungiseli November Dilbert Rashivenga Rasta Sehlako Archie Provincial Panel (BB) Varsity Shield (BB) Varsity Cup (BB) Varsity Shield Varsity Cup Varsity Cup (Border) Varsity Shield (Lions) Varsity Cup Varsity Cup (Valke) Varsity Shield (SWD) Varsity Cup (Lions) Varsity Cup (Natal) Varsity Cup Van der Westhuizen Marius Varsity Shield Veldsman Francois (Boland) Varsity Shield/ Res. Varsity Cup Contenders Squad Geldenhuys Stephan (BB) RESERVES TO PROV. PANEL Bonaparte Rodney (EP) Bosch Petri De Villiers Pieter (Lions) De Bruin Francois (Griquas) Gericke Hein Janse van Vuuren Pieter (FS) Lekhanye Martin (FS) Mrulwa Sinethemba * Nel Eduan (Lions) Pretorius Francois Rametsi Oregopotse (Leopards)* Sambo Petros (Lions)* Slater Andrew Van der Hoven Ricus (Pumas) Van Heerden Jaco (BB) * Needs fast tracking coaching and attention Buitendach Attie Haasbroek DeGoede Van Staden Sieg Regional AR Squad (BB) (Griquas) (Valke) National TMO panel Coetzee Gerrie (FS)- Super 15 Fortuin JC Meuwesen Johan (EP) - Super 15 Veldsman Shaun (Boland) - Super 15 Billett Hulet Immelman Dennis Mngqibisa Thuso Roos Willie Schoonwinkel Arrie Swart Balie Yantolo Banks De Villiers Eugene Hendricks Keith Specialised National AR panel Bosch Phillip (EP) Breytenbach Stefan (Pumas) Du Preez Christie (EP) - IRB Panel Greeff Johan (BB) Manuels Linston (Boland) Rossouw Reuben (Sharks) Van Zyl Marc Wessels Cobus (SWD) - IRB Panel Yamile Fumanekile (EP) National Selectors (*1 see notes at bottom of document) (SWD) (in training) (FS) (SARU) coaches/players representation (Border) National Women s Selectors (*1) (Lions) (Boland) Women s Panel Claasen Eska (SWD) De Villiers Madel (Lions)-Sabbatical Daniels Eugenia Fortuin Roslyn (Boland) Jordaan Marlize (FS) Ludick Sanet (Leopards) Njani Sipokazi (Border) Scholtz Ilana (Lions) Van der Heever Magda (Pumas) Contender s/academy Squad women Daniell Renee (BB) Duthie Melany (Boland) Oerson Henchalla (SWD) National Coaches (*2) Greyvenstein Hendrik Henning Tappe (SARU) Naude Theuns (SARU) Billett Hulet (SWD) National Match Reviewers (*1) Breytenbach Dries (Pumas) Coetzer Gerrit (FS) Hugo Jacques (EP) Janse van Vuuren Theuns (Lions) Menze Lusanda (FS) O Connell Allan (Natal) Oelofse Pierre (Lions) *1 The Match Review and Selection system and personnel are under review. As soon as finality is reached, proper communication will be provided. Until such time, the status quo will be maintained. *2 Others will be appointed once the January meeting, as well as consideration and measuring of candidates, has taken place. 111

12 Craig honoured It has been a heady year of success for IRB and SARU referee Craig Joubert: not only did he referee the Super14 final the last one he also officiated in the Currie Cup final and received the Referee s Achievement of the Year Award at the gala dinner with the Springboks in November. Also picking up silverware was upand-coming referee Jason Jaftha. Well done to two deserved servants of the game. these take place at the Cillie High School while arrangements are in place to move the Union s activities to the fantastic new Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. Jacque Hugo has taken over as referee manager, following the reassignment of Oom Jap Claasen to more pressing duties with the Union. Phillip Bosch is the new training coordinator. EP REF S EXECUTIVE FOR 2011: Front (left to right) Jacques Hugo (Manager); Frans Muller (Chairman) ; Laurie Marx (Services) Back (left to right) Archie Ndayi (Appointments); Phillip Bosch (Training); Chris du Preez (Coaching); Jap Claasen (Finance and club affairs) ; Colin Tobias (Functions) Absent : Mninimzi Plaatjie (Vice Chairman) and Neville Jonas (RDO and Development) EP Referees Society year in review Recruitment, coaching and education are high on the agenda for the Eastern Province Referees Society for next year, following a full On and off the field, members the Eastern Province Referees Society recorded significant achievements during the year, among them: Vice-chairman Mninimzi Plaatjie was appointed vice-chair of SARRA Christie du Preez became an IRB Assistant Referee Phillip Bosch and Fumanikile Yamile were appointed Provincial ARs Rodney Bonaparte was selected for the Contenders Panel Johan Black is on the reserve Contenders Panel Riaan Gayi, Nontembeni Nonyolo, Fernado Uithaler, Julius Whitebooi and Singile Ngeze are on the Academy Squad Mtheleni Mselini and Rupert Jacobs are on the Primary Schools Panel Jacques Hugo is on the Provincial Match Reviewers Panel. With only around 70 active referees available and around 100 games on a weekly basis, recruitment is an area that requires special attention in the new year. The Society s recruitment and development efforts have been hampered by a lack of resources but the increased profile of the EP Kings and subsequent sponsorships should assist in this regard in the future. Algoa FM recently came on board with sponsorship of clothing for school games. Christie du Preez has taken the initiative to re-start the regular coaching sessions and The behaviour of spectators and club officials remains an ongoing problem, mainly because of a lack of knowledge of the Laws of the Game, despite efforts to educate the public through features in the EP Kings match-day programme. Greater efforts will be undertaken in the new season. Refereeing is alive and well in Eastern Province thanks to the continued involvement of its senior members. The heightened profile of the EP Kings and move to a new stadium are proving to be the very injection of enthusiasm the region needed. Here s to a successful Changing of the guard at the Golden Lions At the AGM of the Golden Lions Rugby Referees Society, the following members were elected into leadership positions: Chairman Louis van Huyssteen Committee members Fred Darke Chris Beale Willie A Vos Pieter de Villiers George Raftopoulos Colin McCourt Craig Palmer Randall Koetaan 12 2