Where are you this weekend - 2023/24?

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

Are you on exchange to Mercury?

Feet

 

[Flish]

This weekend I learnt;

- Cup finals can be the worst games in the world to ref!
- Having ARs without comms is hard - Basically ignore them
- Having ARs with comms is hard - (not my shift but playing tech support as the kits kept disconnecting)

But my son’s team won their Colts plate final so it’s a net win!

 

[Phil E]

- Cup finals can be the worst games in the world to ref!
- Having ARs without comms is hard - Basically ignore them

I don't think they will appreciate being ignored, you are meant to be a team.

Try and keep infield and let your ARs cover the touchline side of engagements.
If you think you might have missed something, look up at them to see if they are giving (discreet) hand signals).
At lineouts have a quick word with them "anything I'm missing", "any trends"?
Get them to mirror you near ingoal so you can cover both sides of breakdown and pile ups.

The above should all be part of your brief to them before the game, so they can help you in sticky situations, such as missing an obvious knock on, or not seeing a grounding for a try. They are there to assist, use them.

 

[Flish]

I don't think they will appreciate being ignored, you are meant to be a team.

Try and keep infield and let your ARs cover the touchline side of engagements.
If you think you might have missed something, look up at them to see if they are giving (discreet) hand signals).
At lineouts have a quick word with them "anything I'm missing", "any trends"?
Get them to mirror you near ingoal so you can cover both sides of breakdown and pile ups.

The above should all be part of your brief to them before the game, so they can help you in sticky situations, such as missing an obvious knock on, or not seeing a grounding for a try. They are there to assist, use them

Let’s reword, I need to ignore their ‘potential’ input, I was looking over unnecessarily and breaking my flow / getting distracted in what was a busy, messy game - I should have backed myself more instead of looking for validation

One AR had little to offer, the other a couple of things that were probably immaterial in hind site, but one significant so that input was appreciated.

As with all these things experience is key

 

[Phil E]

Let’s reword, I need to ignore their ‘potential’ input, I was looking over unnecessarily and breaking my flow / getting distracted in what was a busy, messy game - I should have backed myself more instead of looking for validation

One AR had little to offer, the other a couple of things that were probably immaterial in hind site, but one significant so that input was appreciated.

As with all these things experience is key

That sounds a lot different. Like anything in life, take what's useful, ignore what isn't.

Working with AR's is a skill that has to be learnt.
Being an AR is the same. You will quite often get an inexperienced AR who is trying to do the referees job, instead of supporting him/her.

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

That sounds a lot different. Like anything in life, take what's useful, ignore what isn't.

Working with AR's is a skill that has to be learnt.
Being an AR is the same. You will quite often get an inexperienced AR who is trying to do the referees job, instead of supporting him/her.

Phil E is correct and I sympathise with Flish.

Invariably the To3 at the Cup end of the season are 3 referees of varying amounts of experience who perhaps (apologies if I'm wrong) have little experience of ARing and/or using Comms sets. The To3 is sometimes used as a "reward" to selfless members who've really helped out. As Phil says it's a skill to be learned for the referees to "filter/process" the information in real time - lots of refs will not react to your input (immediately/if at all) but the good ones will acknowledge it so you know you've been heard.

Similarly there are "less is more" ARs and others who get a bit carried away and try and referee the game (which is offputting for the referee) or just chatter a bit too much - a down side of Open Mic systems.

As an AR I will take the referee's brief, comply with it and try and add value. I'm lucky insofar as I do it every week with (generally) the same referees so after a while it becomes a lot easier.

Anyway this is perhaps a discussion for another thread so I'll leave it there.

 

[Flish]

Anyway this is perhaps a discussion for another thread so I'll leave it there.

Having just got my Papa John's and BUC's play off appointments I think I'll be checking a few more expectations! - Will do so elsewhere

 

[smeagol]

Staying local, Columbia (MO) is making the trek for a Div 3 friendly.

Weather permitting, hoping to convince partner to bring the young'un to her first live game.

 

[Phil E]

No game for me this weekend, off to Twickenham to cheer the Navy on against the Army.

 

[SimonSmith]

I shall be at home, feet up, large drinks, watching the games on the telly.

 

[Volun-selected]

After the fact … had a mixed 15s and 7s college tournament this past Sunday. 6 pitches and a whole team of refs so got to be in the middle and AR. Knees are a little unhappy and some DOMS…

The organizers also provide a free jersey which is a nice touch but … biggest the only ref jerseys they had left on Sunday were M, S, and XS. I’ve not been M since I was 15!? Pretty sure most of the refs there are the same.

Spent the day running around looking like a fluorescent sausage. (My 12yo is very happy with her new top.)