There are many reasons why people become involved in officiating Rugby.

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1 BCRRS Referee and Match Official Coach Pathway Document (2013) There are many reasons why people become involved in officiating Rugby. Some people want to referee as a pastime they can fit into the commitments of their busy lives while others strive to reach the pinnacle of the profession. Some relish assisting in the development of referees by being Match Official Coaches. This document lays out the expectations of those who wish to become involved in refereeing or referee coaching at all levels in BC. This document discusses the Graded Lists produced by the local Society, the BCRRS and Rugby Canada the various panels. These panels are a series of hierarchical groupings that are established in accordance with ability, experience and potential of the individuals. This document does not deal with the certification (or accreditation) of referees. The policies of Rugby Canada and the BCRRS cover this topic. Certification is related to the level of IRB Officiating course that referees/coaches complete. Referee Pathway The placement of an individual referee in the panel hierarchy (and its sub-sections) is the responsibility of the controlling bodies ie local societies for the Ungraded and C panel, the BCRRS for the B panel and Rugby Canada for the A panel. Each controlling body takes an active role in recommending individuals for placement in the higher panels. Local Society Panel Pre-requisites: - an interest in officiating - completion of an IRB Level 1 Introduction to Officiating Course Requirements for continued Society involvement (and appointment to games): 1) registration with Rugby Canada 2) maintaining a minimum of IRB Level 1 Referee course certification - this process and requirements are found in the BCRRS Certification Document - Level 2 certification is preferred 3) Annual completion of the on-line IRB tests available for Laws and Rugby safety. - IRB Law Test ( - Rugby Ready Test ( - Upon successful completion of each course a certificate can be downloaded by the referee and sent to their local society. - Local Societies are to maintain records of completion of its members

2 4) Annual completion of fitness tests to the following levels: - aerobic test (e.g. Multistage Shuttle Run {Beep Test} or 2400m run) - 40m sprint test - The minimum Fitness Test values required are: Beep test: Level 5 or higher OR 2400m run: under 14:55 mins OR Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Beginner test: Level 2 / Stage 2-1 or higher AND 40 Metre Sprint: less than 7.0 secs (laser) or 7.3sec (hand held) Should a referee s fitness level be slightly below the required standards, they will be given an opportunity (within a reasonable time period), to raise their levels to the required standards. 5) Demonstrate the basic competencies of a good referee: In Appendix A are listed some of the basic competencies which referees and Referee Assistants must strive to attain. To continue to be appointed to games, a society member who is graded as a C3 or is on the President s List must demonstrate achievement of the competencies in Appendix A, good refereeing skills and proper application of the Laws of the Game, to a level describable as most of the time. A member who is ungraded must receive appropriate coaching and strive to reach this minimum level as soon as possible. Ie within their 1 st season of society membership. Within the sub-gradients of the Local Society Panel, the frequency which the members achieve the referee competencies, demonstrate a refined skill set and make correct decisions in Law, increases from C3 to C2 to C1. Ie. from most of the time to almost all of the time.

3 BCRRS Panel Placement of a member on the BCRRS Panel is made by the BCRRS Executive. Placement onto or continuation on the BCRRS Panel is based on the following requirements. the referee: 1) shall be recommended to the BCRRS Executive by the member s Local Society or BCRRS Coaches. 2) make a three to five year commitment to developing their refereeing skills, knowledge and ability. 3) either have or be working to advance their certification to IRB Level 2. 4) annually complete the on-line IRB tests available for Laws and Rugby safety. - IRB Law Test ( - Rugby Ready Test ( - Upon successful completion of each course a certificate can be downloaded by the referee and sent to the BCRRS. 5) annually complete an approved aerobic test (e.g. Multistage Shuttle Run or 2400m run) and the 40m sprint test, to the approved fitness level given below: B3 B2 B1 Leger 20m beep level not less than level 8 OR 2400m run <11:45 (mins) OR Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Beginner test: Level 24 / Stage 7-5 or higher AND 40m sprint Laser-timed <6.4 (secs) or Hand-timed <6.7 (secs). Leger 20m beep level not less than level 9 OR 2400m run <10:55 (mins) OR Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Beginner test: Level 33 / Stage 8-6 or higher AND 40m sprint Laser-timed <6.3 (secs) or Hand-timed <6.6 (secs). Leger 20m beep level not less than level 10 OR 2400m run <10:10 (mins) OR Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Beginner test: Level 43 / Stage 9-8 or higher AND 40m sprint Laser-timed <6.2 (secs) or Hand-timed <6.5 (secs). Should a referee s fitness be slightly below the required standard, they will be given an opportunity in the next grading period to do so, at which time their position on the panel will be reviewed.

4 Also: The referee must report all injuries as soon as possible after they occur. Should medical treatment be sought (doctor/physiotherapist), the referee is encouraged to obtain clearance documentation from them before resuming training. The referee must demonstrate recovery from the injury before returning to refereeing. Match officials are expected to learn and develop the skills, knowledge, physical fitness and psychological attributes to perform the role of referee, touch judge/assistant referee and that of the #4, #5 & #6 official

5 BCRRS Grading Policies - All referees will be reviewed with specific competencies in mind (see below). - Decisions pertaining to a referee s promotion, continuation or relegation can occur at any time in a calendar year, though will occur on a bi-annual basis in December/January and again in April/May. - Following any grading meeting, the BCRRS will clearly communicate any areas of deficiency to the referees. The BCRRS Vice-President (Coaching/Reviewing) or another member of the Executive will be responsible for this communication. - A comprehensive career review will be conducted on an annual basis for every provincially graded referee. The BCRRS Vice-President (Coaching/Reviewing) or another member of the Executive will be responsible for the review. - A great deal of emphasis will be placed upon coaching reports as well as a referee s ability to meet fitness standards and to maintain continual adherence to the documented protocols. - It is not the primary role of the BCRRS to prepare BC or Rugby Canada match officials. However, in order that such appointments are continually made available to our members, the IRB / Rugby Canada protocols and expectations will be adhered to whenever possible. - Chronological age, by itself, will not be taken into consideration during grading of a referee. However it must be noted that the BCRRS expects 3 to 5 years contribution to refereeing after nomination to the panel is accepted. It must also be understood that age contributes to every person s ability to improve as a referee, as well as an ability to maintain pace with the other 30 high performance athletes on the field. The important issue is the impact that the person s age has upon their refereeing ability rather than their chronological age itself. - It is acknowledged that a referee s commitment to furthering their career as a referee changes over time as family and relationship expectations change and as employment circumstances modify. Should a referee s situation outside of the game impact upon their development as a referee, it is essential for this to be incorporated into the referee s pathway and be considered as part of that referee s progress review.

6 BCRRS Panel Competencies: In Appendix A are listed some of the basic competencies which referees and Referee Assistants should attain. As referees on the BCRRS Panel will more often be assigned games played with better skilled players, greater pace of play and subtlety of infractions, it is expected that referees on the BCRRS Panel achieve these competencies at a higher frequency than referees in the Local Society Panel. Members of the BCRRS Panel need to possess a better referee skill set than their colleagues on the Local Society Panels. Members of the BCRRS Panel must demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the Laws of the Game and be able to apply them to game situations. Within the sub-gradients of the BCRRS Panel, the frequency which the members achieve: the referee competencies, demonstrate a refined skill set and make correct decisions in Law, increases from B3 to B2 to B1. Canada Panel From time to time, the BCRRS executive may recommend, to the Rugby Canada Refereeing and Laws Committee, the name of a BCRRS Panel referee for their consideration as a member of the Rugby Canada Panel Referee. To be eligible for the BCRRS executive s recommendation, the referee must fulfill and accept the requirements of the The Pathway to Rugby Canada s National Referee Panel.

7 Match Official Coach Pathway An essential component of a system to develop excellent match officials are Match Official Coaches (MOE). These people can offer match officials objective analysis of their performance, frank evaluation of their skills and practical methods to make eliminate any deficiencies. Requirements to be a BCRRS Match Official Coach - Certification as an IRB Coach of Match Officials Level 1 or Level 2 - by an initial course and recertification by the process in the BCRRS Recertification Policy - Certification as an IRB Match Official Level 1, Level 2 or level 3 - by an initial course and recertification by the process in the BCRRS Recertification Policy Grading of Coaches While there are no formal grades for coaches, the BCRRS Vice-President (Coaching/Reviewing) will endeavor to match the abilities of the Referee Coach with the grade of referee being coached. Some Referee Coaches will be better able to work with beginning referees and others with high performance referees. To make the proper matching, the VP (Coaching/Reviewing) relies on the quality of an individual s reports and feedback from referees. The BCRRS Vice-President (Coaching/Reviewing) will consult with the individual Referee Coach to see where their preferences lie. It is expected that all Referee Coaches strive to attain the competencies of a good referee coach. Appendix B contains a list of basic competencies and indicators of their attainment.

8 Appendix A MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES Communication Adhered to the communication protocol in every aspect. Demonstrated ability to vary the form and style of communication. Established rapport with captains. Communicated advantage and advantage over by signal and voice. Control for identified incidents Managed foul play (obstruction, dangerous play and misconduct) effectively, utilizing admonishment, cautioning and temporary suspension, and sending off, appropriate to the offence. Managed foul play (unfair play and repeated infringements) effectively, utilising cautioning and temporary suspension. Demonstrated management skills that ensured control of the game. Advantage Played territorial / tactical advantage in accordance with the conduct and spirit of the game. Managed advantage so that the ball in play time was maximized. e.g.by identifying clear advantage opportunities, not possible opportunities, and not playing advantage too long in the latter situation. Managed not to return to the original infringement after territorial / tactical advantage had been gained. Played advantage without putting non-offending players under undue pressure. Significant events Manage the match with no significant events where referee errors materially affected the result of the match e.g. scores, denial of scores, incorrect dismissals, lack of dismissals, failure to use other match officials effectively during scoring situations and foul play. TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES Tackle / Ruck / Maul Tackler released the tackled player and moved away. Tackled player made the ball available immediately. Player entered the tackle phase and joined ruck/maul correctly. Participating and arriving players did not intentionally go to ground or contribute to the collapse of a ruck or maul. Participants and non-participants remained onside. Players hands were not used in the ruck, or illegally in the post tackle phase. Scrummage Awarded scrum throw-in to the correct side when the ball became unplayable. Scrum engagement procedure was followed with the scrum statiuonary and square to touch line until the ball was thrown in. Applied appropriate sanctions for management of scrums including offences for binding, standing up, collapsing and illegal wheeling. Fair contest for the ball including throw-in, foot up and delayed throw-in. Participants and non-participants remained onside. Line-out Fair contest for the ball including maintaining the gap, quick and incorrect throws. Applied appropriate sanctions for delay, across and along the line-out offences. Non-participants remained onside.

9 Kicks, general play Restart kicks (ko/do/pk/fk) were taken correctly (method and place) and players remained onside from kicks in general play, and were ten metres from penalty kicks and free kicks. All obvious knock-ons and forward passes were detected. REFEREE ASSISTANT COMPETENCIES Touch, touch in goal, line-out Adjudicated correctly for ball in touch, touch-ingoal and dead ball. Indicated correctly for place where ball to be thrown in. Indicated correct team to throw in. Adjudicated quick throw-in correctly. Kick at goal Adjudicated correctly on kick at goal. Foul play Detected foul play and signaled correctly. Verbally communicated foul play to the referee in accordance with accepted protocol. Provided appropriate recommendations to the severity of the offence when required. Communication Communicated correct information relating to ingoal decisions. Communicated essential information for game management. Other Duties Correctly assisting with other duties requested by the referee: ie. judging if the ball is thrown fairly at the line-out, judging if players in the scrum bind properly, judging if a try has been properly scored, etc.

10 Appendix B Establish a rapport with the referee. Referee coach (RC) used appropriate techniques to put the referee at ease. Employ acceptable pre-match routines. Demonstrate a sound approach to the observation of the referee and the game. Compile appropriate match information during the game. RC met with the referee at the ground prior to the match. The referee and the RC agreed on a time and place for the postmatch discussion. The pre-match discussion identified specific coaching issues with the referee. The RC used appropriate questioning techniques to establish coaching and other issues relating to the game and the referee s expectations. The RC was positioned at an appropriate place to observe the referee - in a grandstand, on the touchline, moved around to observe and check, and remained close rather than at a distance. The RC took up position to as to have a clear view of the whole game and to avoid distraction from others. The RC did not engage in conversations with others during the game. The RC focused attention on the match and the referee for the whole game. The RC used available coaching aids to assist in the collection of match information. The match information notes made by the RC: - were relevant to game management issues - were relevant to the coaching issues identified prior to the match - reflected issues of law where they arose - were time notated - were clear and well structured - provided support to the points discussed post match. Analyse information collected to provide relevant coaching advice. The RC reviewed and summarised notes at half time and at the end of the match. The RC prepared a plan for the post-match discussion with the referee. The RC identified the key areas for discussion with the referee. The RC s discussion plan related the identified issues in the referee s performance to best practice. The RC s discussion plan included the areas identified by the referee.

11 Apply good coaching practices in the postmatch feedback session. Contact was made at the agreed time and place. The RC did not engage in a discussion with the referee in the presence of club or team officials. The RC recognised the post-match feelings of the referee and took these into account when establishing contact. The feedback to the referee was limited to 3-4 key issues relevant to the referee s performance. The positive aspects of the referee s performance were re-enforced by the RC. The RC was able to relate to the level of the game and the performance required from the referee. The RC used open questions that facilitated a discussion with the referee on the issues raised. The RC did not make statements espousing the RC s own views. The discussion allowed both the referee and the RC to express their views. The RC used appropriate methods to check what the referee had said. The RC used appropriate methods to ensure that both the RC and referee were clear on the points being made and outcomes reached. The RC used a balance of providing solutions and leading the referee to self-discovery, taking into account their experience. The RC showed an interest in the views of the referee. The RC did not interrupt the referee when he/she was giving views. The RC acknowledged the points made by the referee. The RC ensured that the referee left the discussion with a clear understanding of the points raised and the solutions agreed. The RC was able to effectively use the match data in the discussion to demonstrate points raised. Issues raised in the pre-match discussion were covered in the feedback session. Compile a written report that reflects the post-match discussion with the referee. The written report was clear and easy to understand. The written report reflected a summary of the post-match discussion

12 Identify solutions to rectify the identified deficiencies. The RC was able to provide solutions to issues identified that will assist the referee towards improved performance. Demonstrate a knowledge of current refereeing practices. Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the game. Demonstrate a good knowledge of the laws of the game. The RC used current practices and protocols in providing coaching advice to the referee. The RC was able to speak confidently in relation to current refereeing practices. The RC showed a knowledge of the game and was able to discuss the game and the way in which it was played and refereed with the referee. The RC was able to recognize the impact and contribution of the referee on the game (both positive and negative). The issues raised by the RC were all correct in relation to law. The RC was able to assist in addressing law issues that were raised in the discussion.

Introductory (Level) 1 Referee Competency Assessment Form

Introductory (Level) 1 Referee Competency Assessment Form May 2006 Assessment Tool Name...Date:... Venue:... Player Age & Grade:... Special Conditions:...... Demonstrated (Yes/No) this column should be