Welcome to BOP Rugby Union

What will you learn?
This course is a mixture of theory and practical under the broad categories of:

Law (Theory)
Assistant Referees get their authority from Law 6 and Law 18. It is imperative that you know these inside out.
Also, as you’re permitted to report foul play, Law 9 is also a MUST KNOW!

Positioning
Set piece and during dynamic phases (Practical)
In order to make the right call, you must be IN THE RIGHT POSITION, AT THE RIGHT TIME. During this course you’ll learn “BEST PRACTICE” in relation to corner flag positioning, tackle, ruck and maul, as well as re-starts and set piece.

Communicating as a team of three (Theory and Practical)
If you’re going to assist the referee to make a decision, you MUST know how and when to communicate with them. In this course, you’ll learn what to say, how to say it, when to say it and why it’s an important part of the communication process. You’ll also learn how to use the latest electronic communications equipment used by our professional referees on television.

Some of the theory work is required to be completed prior to your attendance at this course. (Course prerequisite)

The content of this course is designed to apply to most grades of rugby, up to and including NPC/Premier level for both 15's and 7's.

Right place at the right time to make the right decision!

How long is this course?
This course runs for up to 4hrs including a meal break, with half the course spent in the classroom learning the theory of positioning and communication and half the course is spent on the field putting into practice what you’ve learnt in the classroom.

Here's some of the things you'll learn:

Know when the ball is in touch, touch in goal, dead. Where the mark for the line out or the place for the restart will be and which team throws in the ball.
Where to stand to adjudicate when conversions kicks or penalty kicks at goal crosses the cross bar in between the uprights.
How to report foul play to the referee with any recommendations if asked
How to mark the 10 metre offside line at penalties.
Where to stand and what to look for while the ball is in play.
And much much more...

Hear From A Current Referee That Attended This Course

I participated in this course before I picked up a whistle and it actually helped me to understand the big picture of refereeing. The course gave me sound footing not just in the specific duties of an AR, but also their relationship with the referee as a team of three or four. It gave me the confidence to head out as an AR for our Premier referees, and the experience of being a part of the game with them was invaluable as me as a rookie referee. The course contained a blend of law, discussion, on-field application and role-play, and included a handbook as an excellent takeaway resource, which all contributed to a holistic understanding of what it means to both perform and utilise the role of an assistant referee. I would recommend this course to absolutely any referee, no matter where they are in their career, as everyone would have something to learn and/or contribute.