SECTION 16

DUTIES OF REFEREE AND TOUCH JUDGES

One Referee 1. In all matches a Referee and two Touch Judges shall

Two Touch Judges be appointed or mutually agreed upon by the

contesting teams.

Enforce Laws 2. The Referees shall enforce the Laws of the Game and

may impose penalties for any deliberate breach of

the Laws. He shall be the sole judge on matters of

fact except those relating to touch and touch in-goal

(see para. 11 below).

Timekeeper 3. He shall be the sole timekeeper except where this

duty has been delegated to another person. (See

Section 7).

Power to stop 4. He may, at his discretion, temporarily suspend or

game prematurely terminate a match because of adverse

weather, undue interference by spectators,

misbehaviour by players, or any other cause which,

in his opinion, interferes with his control of the

game.

Permission to 5. He shall not allow anyone apart from the players

enter playing area onto the playing area without permission.

NOTES

Referee injured 1. When a Referee is unable to continue he should appoint a

substitute, preferably a neutral Touch Judge. If the Referee

is not able to appoint a substitute, the respective captains

should mutually agree, failing which the Touch Judge with

the greater experience should take control.

If the injury sustained by a Referee renders him incapable of

blowing his whistle to stop the game, the latter shall be

deemed to have stopped at the time the injury was

sustained.

Consult 2. Before giving a decision, it is permissible for the Referee to

Touch Judge consult either or both Touch Judges.

Player returns to 5. A player who has temporarily retired from the game shall

playing field inform the nearer Touch Judge before re-entering the

playing field.

Power to dismiss 6. In the event of misconduct by a player, the Referee

shall, at his discretion, caution, temporarily suspend

for ten minutes, or dismiss the offender.

Control of 7. The players are under the control of the Referee from

players the time they enter the playing area until they leave it.

NOTES

Caution 6. A caution may be administered to a team as a whole in which

case each player is considered to have received an

individual caution.

When a final caution is given, the nature of the offence and

the time must be recorded by the Referee and must be

quoted if the player is subsequently dismissed.

Temporary 6. The power to temporarily suspend a player is not an

Suspension encouragement to Referees to deal leniently in the event of

misconduct which merits dismissal.

End of 6. A temporarily suspended player shall re-enter the playing

Temporary field when permitted to do so by the Referee. The Referee

Suspension shall be guided by the timekeeper if one is employed

otherwise he himself will determine the end of the

suspension.

Dismissed 6. A dismissed player can take no further part in the match, nor

player shall he be permitted to take up a position near the playing

area where his presence is likely to provoke further incident.

Changing 6. When administering a final caution to a player who has

player’s persistently committed breaches of the laws, the Referee

position shall advise the player’s Captain so that the latter may, if he

so wishes, change the player’s position in the team.

Playing area 7. Where there is no actual enclosure, the area of control is that

within the natural boundaries of the field in which the playing

area is located.

Harassing 7. If a Referee or Touch Judge is assaulted or unduly harassed

Referee by any person arising out of his control of a match, he should

submit a report to the appropriate League even though such

incident occurs after the match is ended.

Section 16. Duties of Referee and Touch Judges (continued)

When to blow 8.1 The Referee must carry a whistle which he shall blow

whistle to commence and terminate each half of the game.

Except for these occasions the blowing of the

whistle shall temporarily stop the play. The Referee

shall blow the whistle:

(a) when a try or a goal has been scored

(b) when the ball has gone out of play

(c) when restarting play, other than at a scrum

(d) when he detects a breach of the Laws of the

Game, except when to stop the play would be to

the disadvantage of the non-offending team

(e) when play is irregularly affected by the ball or the

player carrying the ball coming into contact with

the Referee, a Touch Judge, or with any person

not taking part in the match or with any object

which should not normally be on the playing field

(f) when any irregularity, not provided for in these

Laws, occurs and one team unjustifiably gains an

advantage

(g) when a stoppage is necessary in order to enforce

the Laws or for any other reason.

8.2 Where a referee has stopped play to administer a

caution to a player or players he shall indicate extra

time until he blows his whistle to restart play.

NOTES

Whistle blown 8. Play must stop even if the whistle is blown accidentally in

accidentally which case play is restarted with a scrum where the ball was

last touched by a player in the field of play before the whistle

is blown, and his team shall be given the loose head and

put -in.

Apply advantage 8. The advantage law applies to all phases of play, but where a

team infringes in a strong tactical position the advantage

should be allowed only if the ball goes immediately into the

possession of the non-offending team.

The Referee is the sole judge of what constitutes an

advantage be it tactical or territorial. An infringement is not

‘negated’ simply because the ball touches or is touched by

an opponent. The opponent must have adequate opportunity

to take advantage and endeavour to do so before play is

allowed to proceed.

Application of the advantage laws does not deprive the

Referee of subsequently dealing with an offending player.

Section 16. Duties of Referee and Touch Judges (continued)

Changing decision 9. The Referee judges on matters of fact and shall not

subsequently alter those judgments. He may cancel

any decision made if prior foul play of which he had

no knowledge is reported to him by a Touch Judge.

Accept Touch 10. The Referee shall accept the decision of an official

Judge decision Touch Judge relating to touch and touch in-goal play

and to kicks at goal.

Touch Judge 11. Each Touch Judge shall remain in touch, one on each

side of, and near to, the playing field except:–

(a) when judging kicks at goal (see Section 6) and

(b) when reporting a player’s misconduct which has

escaped the notice of the Referee.

Flag 12. Each Touch Judge must carry an approved flag.

NOTES

Infringement by If a team infringes when in a strong attacking position territorial

attacking team or tactical, the Referee should stop play promptly, unless the ball

is immediately possessed by the defending team because a

loose ball cannot be considered to be of advantage to a team in

a weak, defensive position.

Applying the advantage law does not deprive the Referee of his

power to deal subsequently with any offending player.

Awarding a Try 9. The circumstances referred to in this Law will not arise when

a try is scored as the Referee shall look at both Touch

Judges before awarding a try.

Touch Judge under 10. A Touch Judge is at all times under the control of the Referee

control of Referee and may be dismissed and replaced if, in the opinion of the

Referee, he can no longer be considered to be neutral. In this

case, any decision made by a Touch Judge leading to his

dismissal may be disregarded. Any misconduct by a Touch

Judge should be reported by the Referee to the appropriate

authority.

Report misconduct 11. (b) If a Touch Judge wishes to report a player’s misconduct

quickly he should attract the Referee’s attention as quickly as

possible in order to avoid an unnecessary continuation of

play. Any subsequent penalty is awarded where the

offence occurred and not where play is subsequently

stopped.

No undue interference A Touch Judge must not unduly interfere with the Referee’s

control of the game by reporting incidents which have

obviously been seen by the Referee.

Section 16. Duties of Referee and Touch Judges (continued)

Indicating Touch 13. A Touch Judge shall indicate when and where the

ball goes into touch by raising his flag and standing

opposite the point of entry into touch except in the

case of ‘ball back’ (see Section 9 para. 4) when the

Touch Judge must indicate that no ground has been

gained by waving his flag above his head

accentuating the movement in the direction of the

kicker’s goal-line.

Indicating 14. If the ball enters touch in-goal the Touch Judge shall

Touch in-Goal wave the flag across the body and below the waist.

With the other hand he/she points to either the goal

line or twenty metre line depending on where play

should be restarted. Do not point to the player who

made the ball dead.

Judge kicks at goal 15. Touch Judges shall assist the Referee in judging

kicks at goal. (See Section 6 para.10).

Indicating 16. When a free kick is being taken, both Touch Judges

10 metres shall take up a position near the touch line ten

metres beyond the mark to act as markers for the

team which is required to retire.

Official Inquiry 17. In cases where circumstances in connection with the

match are likely to be made the subject of official

investigation, the Referee and Touch Judges shall

report to the investigating authority only and shall

refrain from expressing criticism or comment

through other channels.

NOTES

Ball swerving back 13. A Touch Judge should not raise his flag immediately the

into Playing Field ball in flight crosses the touch line if there is a possibility of it

swerving or being blown back into the playing field because

play is not stopped if the ball does drop back into the playing

field.

Controversial 15. If any decision by a Referee is likely to be controversial, the

decisions Referee may explain his reasons for making the decisions if

by so doing unnecessary misunderstanding or controversy

can be avoided.