Penalise teams late onto the field

[Marc Wakeham]

What clubhouse?

Very few clubs have a clubhouse of their own. I came across two: one was a university team, and the other a barn on someone's farm with an oil drum fire and a keg of beer. No showers!

My own club had exclusive use on Saturdays of the basement at a local bar. Next to the police station! Many clubs had a similar arrangement - the bar would sell a lot of beer plus food (we just had a hotpot of chilli), and the muddy, sweaty ruggers would not upset the other clientele.

Pretty much every club here has a clubhouse. Those that don't tend to struggle. Most on site or close to their usual pitch.

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I don't think anyone is exposing themselves, usually as covered as if at a bike race or swim meet.

For adult matches there is usually beers and food set up at a local pub or a park pavilion.

It's interesting how different cultures develop.

[TigerCraig]

I'm not sure that changing on the side line is appropriate. Especially with age grade stuff. Do your players not stay in the clubhouse for a few beers afterwards?

Here its pretty rare for juniors to use changing rooms even if they are available - they turn up in their kit, put on and take off boots on the sideline and leave in their kit. Maybe change jersey for a T-shirt

With seniors the premier clubs and higher level subbies clubs will have changing rooms and clubhouses - but lower levels rarely do. Even at my club which does have council changing rooms and showers available a short walk across the car park no-one uses them unless its been a really wet day, which may be once every 2 seasons or so. Most guys come to the ground in their shorts and socks, and may change shorts for jeans on the sideline after the game

Again, many clubs rely on sponsorship $$ from a local pub so head there after the game

[SimonSmith]

Pretty much every club here has a clubhouse. Those that don't tend to struggle. Most on site or close to their usual pitch.

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It's interesting how different cultures develop.

It's such a minority sport here that very very few clubs have facilities.
My shortest drive to a game is an hour. My average is 2 hours. At the outside, it's 4.5 hours - that's not an exchange, that's "local"

I turn up fully kitted, with the only exception being my shirt which I change just before kick off. Toilets are either porta john, or hoping someone has a key to the local facilities (ie, using the Baseball fan toilets)

No clubhouse afterwards for a shower. There may be a social, but frankly the idea of driving 3 hours after a couple of beers isn't appealing. Added to which the losing Coach may very well want to have a full and frank exchange of views, as opposed to the more collaborative approach I had when in Hampshire.

I miss Hampshire.

[Na Madrai]

County colts match. Played at Billesley Common, main pitch, immediately adjacent to Moseley RC and before their main stand and facilities were built. Pitch is wide open on high ground with no cover of any description and a bitterly freezing wind is whirling around - cannot emphasise just how cold is this wind; several hundred brave spectators. Home team change at MRC, approximately fifty yards from pitch; away team at BC changing rooms, probably three hundred yards from pitch. Five minutes before KO, all pre-match activities completed and both teams and referee on pitch. Away team gather together and head off for their changing rooms - still three hundred yards away. Referee runs up to the senior coach of away team - they have four - and states that he wants the away team back in three minutes to ensure scheduled KO time. Away team return to pitch for KO twenty minutes later.

What can the referee do? What should the referee do and why?

First discussed on this forum some five years or so ago so I am very interested in views now - no cheating and going back to see what was said then!!!!


Na Madrai

[Marc Wakeham]

Here its pretty rare for juniors to use changing rooms even if they are available - they turn up in their kit, put on and take off boots on the sideline and leave in their kit. Maybe change jersey for a T-shirt

With seniors the premier clubs and higher level subbies clubs will have changing rooms and clubhouses - but lower levels rarely do. Even at my club which does have council changing rooms and showers available a short walk across the car park no-one uses them unless its been a really wet day, which may be once every 2 seasons or so. Most guys come to the ground in their shorts and socks, and may change shorts for jeans on the sideline after the game

Again, many clubs rely on sponsorship $$ from a local pub so head there after the game

I guess your weather does help!

[TigerCraig]

County colts match. Played at Billesley Common, main pitch, immediately adjacent to Moseley RC and before their main stand and facilities were built. Pitch is wide open on high ground with no cover of any description and a bitterly freezing wind is whirling around - cannot emphasise just how cold is this wind; several hundred brave spectators. Home team change at MRC, approximately fifty yards from pitch; away team at BC changing rooms, probably three hundred yards from pitch. Five minutes before KO, all pre-match activities completed and both teams and referee on pitch. Away team gather together and head off for their changing rooms - still three hundred yards away. Referee runs up to the senior coach of away team - they have four - and states that he wants the away team back in three minutes to ensure scheduled KO time. Away team return to pitch for KO twenty minutes later.

What can the referee do? What should the referee do and why?

First discussed on this forum some five years or so ago so I am very interested in views now - no cheating and going back to see what was said then!!!!


Na Madrai

In Sydney declare match over, send report to union and go home

[Marc Wakeham]

County colts match. Played at Billesley Common, main pitch, immediately adjacent to Moseley RC and before their main stand and facilities were built. Pitch is wide open on high ground with no cover of any description and a bitterly freezing wind is whirling around - cannot emphasise just how cold is this wind; several hundred brave spectators. Home team change at MRC, approximately fifty yards from pitch; away team at BC changing rooms, probably three hundred yards from pitch. Five minutes before KO, all pre-match activities completed and both teams and referee on pitch. Away team gather together and head off for their changing rooms - still three hundred yards away. Referee runs up to the senior coach of away team - they have four - and states that he wants the away team back in three minutes to ensure scheduled KO time. Away team return to pitch for KO twenty minutes later.

What can the referee do? What should the referee do and why?

First discussed on this forum some five years or so ago so I am very interested in views now - no cheating and going back to see what was said then!!!!


Na Madrai

As discussed in the thread.

1: report to the organisers. NO PK as it is not provided for in the rules.

2: consider Balones stance "Guys on the field at 25 past or the game is off! especially if the side waiting is unfairly disadvataged ( very cold / wet etc).



Difficult if you've not set your stall out before, and let's be fair you'd not be expecting it really. So may be for future reference when you speak to the coaches / team managers add something along the lines of, "Teams on the pitch ready to kick off at X time to ensure we KO on time. If you are late the game may not be able to go ahead!". Sow the seed. Avoid, "If you are not ready to start withing 10 minutes of the scheduled time I'll abandon the game". As that paints you into a corner and teams know that kick of time is when they like as long as it is some where between 1430 and 1439.

[Marc Wakeham]

There may be a social, but frankly the idea of driving 3 hours after a couple of beers isn't appealing. Added to which the losing Coach may very well want to have a full and frank exchange of views, as opposed to the more collaborative approach I had when in Hampshire.

I miss Hampshire.

That's a shame. I'll have a beer, 2 max after a game. The chance to chat to players and coaches is so valuable. Obviously if anyone gets heated. Remove yourself from them.

All our clubs are required to have a "Referee Liaison Officer" who's job it is to welcome and "protect" the referee. Not all deliver. But it is, in my experience, very rare to have a problem. I know some colleagues are not so lucky.

One club refuses to give the referee alcohol but will give soft drinks. Generally you are allowed a free pint and food. The post match interaction is very useful.

But if I face a 4 hour drive I'm not sure I'd stay very long.

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

A barn, barrel fire, and a keg are luxury accommodations.

Many players embrace, even relish in the "stink and drink"

4 yorks.jpg

msf..

[crossref]

County colts match. Played at Billesley Common, main pitch, immediately adjacent to Moseley RC and before their main stand and facilities were built. Pitch is wide open on high ground with no cover of any description and a bitterly freezing wind is whirling around - cannot emphasise just how cold is this wind; several hundred brave spectators. Home team change at MRC, approximately fifty yards from pitch; away team at BC changing rooms, probably three hundred yards from pitch. Five minutes before KO, all pre-match activities completed and both teams and referee on pitch. Away team gather together and head off for their changing rooms - still three hundred yards away. Referee runs up to the senior coach of away team - they have four - and states that he wants the away team back in three minutes to ensure scheduled KO time. Away team return to pitch for KO twenty minutes later.

What can the referee do? What should the referee do and why?

First discussed on this forum some five years or so ago so I am very interested in views now - no cheating and going back to see what was said then!!!!


Na Madrai

After a 5 min wait and it's clear wha is happening, put the KO back 30 mins and take the other team inside to get warm ?

I am not sure it's possible for the ref to really fix this