MOTHER'S DAY LESSONS FROM REFEREES
Sunday was Mother’s Day. What a good day it was! She had plenty of rugby to watch on TV – two English semi-finals on BBC, and a Celtic League game on S4C.
For the Verdict, however, the excitement of the Kingsholm finale was enough for a day, with Bath snatching victory against Gloucester with the last play of extra time deep into added time. Ospreys’ victory away to Leinster awaits on DVD.

As the first match of the TV day, the Headingley semi-final attracted Scottish attention. Each team had one of Scotland’s current reserves as well as a former Glasgow player – Gordon Ross and Mark McMillan for Leeds Tykes, Robbie Russell and Roly Reid for London Irish. Good luck to Gordon and Mark in the final against Bath!

That match, though, was low-key compared to what was to follow from Kingsholm. It was compulsive for the neutral. What must it have been for the committed?

One common thread, however, ran through both matches. The referees were consistent – Tony Spreadbury at Leeds, Ashley Rowden at Gloucester. The performances of those two were much appreciated after what the Verdict has seen elsewhere in the past few weeks.

Consistency is a vital element in the referee’s game. Without it, the players cannot perform to their best. Their concentration is inhibited by concern at what the referee will do next instead of having the confidence of knowing whether the whistle will be blown or not.

Messrs Spreadbury and Rowden refereed the tackle not only consistently but also in a way that deserved the Verdict’s commendation.

The Verdict is adamant – and has been for some time – that the cause of so much of the problems in that airt of the game is that the tackled player does not immediately release the ball. As soon as he hits the ground he has no rights. Nor does the tackler. The first player to arrive on his feet has every right to claim the ball.

Yet so often that player on his feet is denied ready access by one of those on the ground. By the time the ball is released, other players have arrived. Technically, a ruck has formed, and the first arrival, who ought to have been allowed to claim the ball, is penalised for handling in the ruck.

Some referees, like Spreadbury and Rowden were on Sunday, are aware of that. Others are not. Ask Donnie Macfadyen for collaboration of that view!

Earlier this season, during a visit to the Principality, the Verdict had the privilege of sitting beside a Welsh referee assessor. It should not have been surprising that the assessor and the Verdict were of a like mind on the above point of law and others.

For instance, the assessor questioned why the referee allowed players from the attacking team to stand offside at ruck and maul. The back-foot offside line applies equally to offensive and defensive players. Yet it is those in defence who are penalised … never their opponents. The Verdict, as his friends will know, has been adamant about that for years.

Also, too often referees ignore offside players who loiter within 10 metres of an opponent waiting to catch a kick head. Yet the law clearly states that an offside player within that area of 10 metres cannot – in any circumstance – be played onside by a team-mate. That offside player must make a clear attempt to retire.

Again, as others will vouch, the Verdict had been complaining for years that referees too often overlook that law.

Returning to the main point, the Verdict would add that communication should be added to consistency as key requirements in refereeing. Tony Spreadbury was master in the art of talking to players through a game before it became the norm.

Yet, as a final observation on refereeing requirements, whatever faults Spreadbury may have, no one could accuse him to trying to be the first man on the field instead of the thirty-first.

Bill McMurtrie

7 March 2005

[Glasgow’s next match will be against Cardiff Blues at Hughenden on Good Friday (25 March) with a 7.30pm kick-off.]

This article was posted on 7-Mar-2005, 13:42 by Hugh Barrow.