NSW RUGBY UNION

1. NSW RUGBY UNION Pre-Game and Post-Game Ian Smith

2. Introduction • We are discussing pre-game preparation, and post-game analysis • Remember the 7 P’s… • Prior Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance

3. Pre-Match • Who are the teams? (Any history? Previous experiences?) • What is the style of play? (Tight and close or open?) • What is at stake? (Pos on table, Home semi) • What are the teams’ strengths and weaknesses • Who are the captains? Are they respected leaders? • Who is in the front row? Who is in the backrow?

4. When does preparation begin? • Notification of appointment • How do you prepare? • Physical training • Mental preparation • Review video • Talk to other referees re problems they had • Mental rehearsal / visualisation • What if? / ‘wargaming’ / role play • Practice your communication

5. Match goals • What are you currently working on? • Identify three areas you want to focus on(eg advantage, comms @ tackle) • If being coached, then ask coach to watch these areas

6. Post-Match How do you think you went? If video, then… Review for specific items / events Statistical / positional analysis Discussion with your coach, other referees What would you do differently next time? How would you deal with the same team if you saw them again? Highlight three areas to work on generally

7. Remember… You are only one week away from your best performance! QUESTIONS?

8. NSW RUGBY UNION Tackle Ruck

9. INTRODUCTION • Rugby both standard and ELV games can be attractive to watch with continuity and contest. • However, when it is at its ugliest, it is often a game being played by players off their feet stifling continuity and killing contest. • Tonight’s session will be a short presentation followed by a workshop where you decide what it is you want to do in relation to players of their feet at the tackle/ruck

10. TACKLE/RUCK • Players off their feet, a referee coach observation • Why are players off their feet? • Tackler, his role in the problem • Tackled player, his role in the problem • Arriving players, what they do when there is clutter around the tackle. • Players off their feet, a Premier coach/Waratah coach observation • Video

11. Legal Requirements • Tackler • Tackled player • New category of miscreant, the latch or hammer • Arriving players (Law 15.7.(b)) Forbidden Practices No player may prevent the tackled player from releasing the ball or getting up and moving away from it. • When there is a ruck formed, what must the joining players do according to law?

12. Joining a Ruck 16.2 • (a) All players forming, joining or taking part in a ruck must have their head and shoulders no lower than their hips. • (b) A player joining a ruck must bind onto the ruck with at least one arm around the body of a team mate using the whole arm. • (c) Placing a hand on another player in the ruck does not constitute binding. • (d) All players forming, joining or taking part in a ruck must be on their feet.

13. Joining a Ruck 16.5 (c) • All players joining a ruck must do so from behind the foot of the hindmost team mate in the ruck. A player may join alongside the hindmost player. If a player joins ..... In front of the hindmost team mate, the player is offside.

14. What are the implications of these laws? • Joining legally means there is no foul play (star wars) • Binding makes the ruck more stable with less players going to ground and therefore less clutter at the ruck. • Correct body height means fewer collapses • Does this translate into more continuity?

15. Syndicate discussion • Are we going to apply these laws to our matches from now on? • If not, why not? • Can we apply some and not others? • What are the implications if we apply them?