Club refs, in England, are they covered?

[ctrainor]

Just picking up an issue from another thread where people have implied that Club refs and clubs who allow fixtures with them to take place are not covered by RFU insurance as they must have a minimum qualification.
If that's the case that could spell serious trouble as I'm sure most societies do not have enough refs to cover all fixtures week in week out.
Does anyone know the facts?

[chbg]

It's in here:

http://www.englandrugbyinsurance.co.uk

[crossref]

The RFU organised insurance covers all games, it includes insurance for negligent officials, and if a player has a serious injury the insurance pays out. That's the point of it

However if the club has acted negligently the insurers may seek to recover the cost from the club

[Marc Wakeham]

That dos not give much detail. I'm sure the RFU have taken advise on their, referee, policies. What worries me is seeing ta post suggesting that anyone could rock onto the pitch with no training whatsoever and ref a game. Is this true?

[Flish]

That dos not give much detail. I'm sure the RFU have taken advise on their, referee, policies. What worries me is seeing ta post suggesting that anyone could rock onto the pitch with no training whatsoever and ref a game. Is this true?

Happens, regularly :-( I coach U13 and organise the fixtures at my club, and obviously have visibility in WTR of fixtures in the county, we always request county refs through the appointments system (don't always get them) but there are lot of clubs who I never see on Sunday appointments lists. That may of course mean that there are 'club' refs taking charge who are very experienced and good (or equally out of date and missing current guidance), but equally it's just coaches left to do their best.

I've had it suggested that I may not be insured if I ref a game that's not properly appointed - I can't believe that's actually true as I've helped out at school and county RFU festivals before now at the request of regional RFU reps - but think that the truth is you are covered as long as you have the home club / organisers consent (and they are insured). At what point that cover stops I don't know (tacit consent? society member, qualified as a ref, other qualification eg coach?)

[didds]

That dos not give much detail. I'm sure the RFU have taken advise on their, referee, policies. What worries me is seeing ta post suggesting that anyone could rock onto the pitch with no training whatsoever and ref a game. Is this true?

Given the amount opf child and youth games that get reffed by one of the sides' coaches most definitely.

every week x hundreds if not thousands Id suggest.

The focus is on getting players playing, not having upwards of 40 players not on a pitch because there are insufficient qualified refrees.

Why there are insufficient qualified refs is another debate for a different thread.

idds

[Flish]

So, in the small print of the policy wording (http://www.englandrugbyinsurance.co....rding_(3).pdf) we have;

"Official shall mean any referee touch judge coach trainer instructor or medical attendant acting on behalf of the Insured or of any club team or group which carries approval of The Rugby Football Union"

And broadly it just talks about clubs and societies being covered for 'playing rugby' unless negligent

[didds]

ISTR there used to be some bizarre regulation there though that an actual real medical doctor acting in a "physio"/"first aider" etc capacity was not included in the insurance ...

didds

[Jz558]

At my Club, for youth games, all refs are either appointed by the Society or are qualified (and eligible to join the Society) and referee regularly at the Club and local schools. All have done the 2 day Level 2 RFU course and no qualified ref = no game. The Club encourage current players (youth and older) to attend the course in order that we have sufficient numbers to cover games. As Crossref points out I'm not sure I would want to be the host club where a life changing injury occurs under a non-qualified referee.

[crossref]

There is always a lot of confusion on this
Just because someone is negligent this doesn't mean the club is not insured.

Part of the point of having insurance is to insure yourself against negligent staff

The injury insurance will pay out

But there may be ramifications for those individuals who were negligent (not following policy) .. and against the club if they had negligent policies