Panels, Grading and Appointments
COACHING AND APPOINTMENTS BOARD POLICY STATEMENT 2007
COACHING AND APPOINTMENTS BOARD — MISSION STATEMENT
The CAB mission is to facilitate the coaching of referees to their highest potential and appoint the most suitably qualified referees to officiate in the Rugby WA Competition matches and other matches as required.
Referee Grading Panels and Appointments
This document sets out the policy and procedures that will apply to appointments and grading of referees in 2007.
The emphasis for 2007 is coaching and development supported by the introduction of special development programs implemented by the newly formed State Coaching Unit (SCU).
Level III Referee Coach Ian Hailes, and Referee Manager Anthony O’Shea will oversee this unit. The SCU will liaise closely with the CAB to enable appropriate appointments and development opportunities for the SCU referees.
Appointments General
Appointments will be made to games in the following priority order as determined by the Executive Committee of WARURA and RUGBY WA: 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, U 19’s, 3rd grade, PSA 1st XV, 4th Grade, and U17 and U16. The Referee Manager will make appointments to 5th and 6th grade, PSA 2nd XV and the Women’s Competition. The Junior CAB will appoint to all junior games below U16.
Appointments will generally be made two weeks in advance, with the CAB and a representative of the Junior CAB, meeting on the alternate Monday to Referee Meeting nights. However, the appointments will be published one week at a time and refined on the night of the Referees meeting for the second week. The Referee Manager will disseminate appointments by the end of business on the Tuesday of each week. Appointments will also be published on the Association’s web page at www.warura.rugbynet.com.au.
As a general practice, referees will only be appointed to one game per day. However, there may be special circumstances that require a referee to officiate on more than one occasion on a day.
Referees are expected to standby for the game following their match to replace the referee in the event of injury or a 'no show'.
2nd Grade and U19’s referees are automatically appointed to run touch for the 1st grade game unless others have been appointed on the weekly appointments list. If unavailable, then they must inform the match referee so that a suitable replacement may be organized. No 1st Grade game should be without qualified touch judges. Touch judge appointments are deemed as formal appointments and thus referees are expected to attend. It is unsatisfactory to just “disappear” after your game and not fulfil your touch judge appointment or just fail to turn up. As with any failure to fulfil an appointment, whether as a referee or touch judge, without a sound reason and notification to the Referee Manager, your future appointments and grading may be affected.
It is the responsibility of individual referees to notify the Referee Manager (08) 9383 0706, or mobile 0413 570 788 or by E Mail Anthony.O’Shea@rugbywa.com.au as soon as practicable of their non-availability for forthcoming matches.
Following publishing of the appointments the onus is on the referee to make contact with the Referee Manager to advise of withdrawal from the appointed game. This must happen no later than noon on the Friday immediately preceding the game. After that time, the referee must check the appointments list and notify the referee of the grade lower to his appointment and request he take on your game. This will have a flow on effect so that the lowest grade game on that ground may be without a referee unless a referee is prepared to double up. It is imperative that any changes on the day are notified to the Referee Manager by the following Monday.
Following the publishing of appointments, referees will be able to swap with fellow referees within reason. Changes must be in the same grade and must not compromise the appointment process. In the first instance, the referee must notify the Referee Manager of any proposed swap for authorization and coordination purposes.
CAB REFEREE GRADING PANELS AND APPOINTMENTS 2007
Grading Panels
For the 2007 season the CAB will continue to use Grading Panels. The panels will include the SCU referees. There will be panels numbered one to four corresponding to the general level of game that a referee in the particular panel can expect to be refereeing, plus the President’s Panel which is made up of those experienced referees who are now non competitive.
Panel Size
For panels one to three inclusive each panel will have up to ten members. Panel four and the President’s panel will have as many members as are available.
Composition of Panels
Panels one to three will include the top 30 graded referees. Panel four will be composed of:
- Referees graded 30+
- Inexperienced and unsighted referees
- Non-competitive referees
Panel Lists
Panel lists will be reviewed three times per season as follows: just prior to the beginning of the season; after the completion of the first round; and just prior to the semi finals. Each review will examine the referees‘ on field performances by way of coaching reports, current fitness level and their participation in those off field activities as sanctioned by WARURA. The SCU will also make recommendations for inclusion in these panels. The Panel lists will then be published with members listed in alphabetical order.
Approximately, three rounds before the final series; referee coaches will begin the grading process of referees in preparation for the finals. This will take the form of assessment using the ARU Community Rugby Assessment Sheet, which measures the referee against a series of accuracy and compliance criteria. Once completed, the top referees will be graded in numerical order from one (the best score) to 15. This will then form the basis of appointments for the finals. (See page four).
Basis of Grading
Grading will be based on assessment of a referee's performance relative to the standard of the games s/he is refereeing. Qualified referee coaches will conduct coaching primarily based on the referee’s demonstration of accuracy and compliances, and also conduct a post match debrief. When practicable, a DVD of the game will accompany the coaching and/or assessment report.
In determining grading, account willalso be taken of attendance at development sessions, referee training, fitness programs, and accreditation courses. Relevant feedback from team coaches may also be taken into consideration in order to provide extra insight into the referees’ performance.
Fitness
The Referee Manager will conduct regular fitness testing of referees in the form of beep tests and other appropriate measures of fitness. These tests are designed to demonstrate to the referee and the CAB if s/he requires more work on personal fitness and to identify any injuries the referee may have which could effect their on field performance.
To be graded in, and remain in Panel A from a fitness perspective, a referee has to obtain a beep test of 10.5, and for panel B a beep test of 9.5. An alternative test may be permitted due to special circumstances on approach to Chairman CAB who will liaise with the Referee Manager for the test to be implemented. The alternative test is the ARU sanctioned 2.4km run in 11 minutes for an equivalent 10.5 beep, and 11min 29 secs for a beep of 9.5.
Further, those referees from the SCU who have the potential and desire to be considered for higher appointments will be required during the season to demonstrate a higher level of fitness equivalent to the ARU National Referee standard. Presently, this includes a 12.5 beep test, 1.86 secs for 10 metre sprint, 5.95 secs for a 40 metre sprint and 9 min 15 secs for a 2.4km run.
When doing the beep test, the CAB will expect referees to continue past the prescribed time limit commensurate with their panel. In other words, for Panel B, referees should not just stop at 9.5 for example when they have more “petrol in the tank”.
DVD Recording of Matches
At each main venue there will be a facility for recording the match on DVD with the referee voice over. These DVDs are designed to assist in the coaching and development of both the referees and teams. They are also used by RWA for other purposes including judiciary hearings. It is therefore vital that all referees are wired up for sound for each match being recorded. Referees, who choose to disconnect the sound without a valid reason, will be subject to sanctions by the WARURA Executive and CAB.
Appointments
To be appointed to games played under the jurisdiction of Rugby WA, it is a requirement that all referees have the following accreditation:
1. A minimum accreditation of ARU Level 1 Referee or overseas equivalent.
2. All referees must be current financial members of the West Australian Rugby Union Referees Association (WARURA).
3. It is imperative that all members have completed and signed the ARU Rugbynet Registration Form in order to be covered by insurance. Those members over the age of 65 are not covered for accident or death whilst refereeing but are covered for liability in the case of negligence claims
4. Have undertaken the annual re-accreditation training as determined by ARU.
The underlying philosophy of appointments is that the top graded referees should referee games in order of merit. However, this does not automatically follow that the No. 1 Referee will necessarily be appointed to the No.1 game, as there are other factors that need to be considered. For example, the grading of games, particularly in the early season, is very subjective. Moreover, recognition will be taken of the frequency a particular referee has refereed either of the teams in the proposed appointment, the suitability and matching of a referee to officiate at a particular game, and the development requirements of other up and coming referees including those in the SCU.
Panel A - Accreditation Requirements
In addition to the above criteria, inclusion in the first panel also requires the referee to have obtained, or enrolled to attend the following accreditations in that year:
- Level II Referee
- Level II Touch Judge
- Level I Referee Coach
Grievances
Referees may approach the Chairman CAB to clarify their position on the panel list. The WARURA President shall arbitrate at any unresolved dispute between the referee and the CAB.
Finals Appointments Policy
For 2007, appointments to the finals will be chosen in order of ranking from 1 to 20 based on the latest adjustment of rankings taken immediately prior to the semi finals. Listed below is a table of how the system will operate:
Grade | Ranking based on pre semi finals | Ranking based on post semi finals | Ranking based on post finals | |
| Elim Semi | Major Semi | Preliminary Final | Grand Final |
1st U17 U16 5th 6th W
|
1 17 19
|
2 18 20
| 1 8 9 10 | 1 9 10 |
For the semi finals, those referees who are ranked one to 20 at the end of the last round will officiate as described above. Once the semi finals have been completed, the CAB will undertake a re-grading exercise with the top 10 referees from the semi finals being appointed to the preliminary finals. On completion of the Preliminary finals, the CAB will undertake another re-grading of those 10 referees to select the order of appointments to the Grand Finals.
Note that in case of injury or poor performance by a referee during the finals, the CAB may broaden its selection criteria in this regard.
Moreover, if for reasons beyond the referee’s control an individual is unable to make the final fitness tests prior to the finals’ appointments, and that referee has demonstrated a high level of fitness throughout the whole season, special dispensation may be granted on approach the Chairman CAB. The reason for any dispensation will be published to all members.
The Referees Executive and Rugby WA Executive will ratify the grand final appointments.
There may be an adjustment made to the above if WARURA is requested to provide a referee for Country Finals or the draw changes during the year.
Representative Appointments and Exchanges
WARURA referees are often invited by ARU to appoint referees, referee coaches and other officials to the Australian Rugby Shield, Australian Schoolboy Championships and other representative games as required. Referees and other match officials are also invited to undertake exchange duties with other State Unions. There is also a requirement for Nos 4 and 5 match officials to be appointed to home games for the Emirates Western Force.
The procedure for appointment to these games is as follows: ARU or State Union notifies RWA of the match details and invites RWA to nominate the officials. Once received by RWA, the Referee Manager is to liaise with the CAB to select the most appropriate match officials.
David Procopis (Chairman CAB)
15th January 2007
