Law 6 Match Officials

Law 6 Match Officials

Appointment of the Referee
1. Who is the referee appointed by?
Answer: The match organiser and if no referee has been appointed, the 2 teams agree upon a referee, and if they cannot agree, the home team appoints a referee.

2. What happens if a referee cannot complete the match?
Answer: According to instructions of the match organiser and if no instructions are given, the referee appoints, and if the referee cannot, the home team appoints.

Duties of the Referee Before the Match
1. Does the referee organise the toss?
Answer: Yes, with one captain tossing the coin; the winner chooses to either kick off or choose an end with the other captain taking what the inner does not choose.

2. Must the referee inspect players’ clothing?
Answer: Yes.

Duties of the Referee During the Match
1. What are the duties of the referee in the playing enclosure?
Answer: A. the referee is the sole judge of fact and law during the match, B. the referee keeps time, C. the referee keeps score.

2. Does the referee allow access to the playing area for players?
Answer: Yes, but only when it is safe to do so.

3. Does the referee give permission for players to leave the playing area?
Answer: Yes.

The Whistle
1. When does the referee blow the whistle?
Answer: A. indicate beginning and end of each half of the match, B. to stop play, C. indicate score or touch down, D. caution or send off an offender and a second time when the PK is awarded, E. when the all becomes dead, F. when the ball become unplayable, G. when a PK, FK or scrum is awarded, H. when it would be dangerous for play to continue.

The Ball Becomes Dead
1. When does the referee deem the ball to be dead?
Answer: A. the ball is in touch or touch in-goal, B. the ball is grounded in in-goal, C. a conversion has been attempted, D. a try, PK or dropped goal has been scored, E. the ball or ball carrier touches the dead ball line or anything beyond it, F. the ball hits anything above the playing area.

The Ball or Ball Carrier Touches the Referee or Non-Player
1. What should the referee do if the ball or a ball carrier touches him/her?
Answer: If neither team gains an advantage, allow play to continue, but if either team gains an advantage, a scrum is awarded to the team that last played the ball.

2. What should the referee rule if the ball carrier touches the referee or non-player in in-goal?
Answer: A. if the ball was in possession of the attacking team award the try at the point of contact, B. if the ball was in the possession of the defending team award a touch down at the point of contact.

3. If the ball touches the referee or non-player in in-goal, what should the referee rule?
Answer: The referee judges what would have happened next and awards a try or a touch down where the contact took place.

Interaction Between the Referee and Assistant Referees/Touch Judges
1. What may the referee consult the ARs about?
Answer: Matters relating to their duty, foul play, timekeeping, and other aspects of the referee’s duties.

2. May the referee alter a decision after a TJ or AR has raised the flag to signal touch, touch-in-goal or after an AR has signaled foul pay?
Answer: Yes.

Duties of The Referee After a Match
1. Must the referee communicate the scores to the teams?
Answer: Yes.

2. If the referee temporarily suspends or sends a player off must the referee fill out the appropriate forms?
Answer: Yes.

Appointing and Controlling Assistant Referees and Touch Judges
1. Who appoints ARs and TJs?
Answer: The match organiser appoints ARs and the teams provide TJs.

2. May a match organiser appoint a reserve AR?
Answer: Yes.

3. What powers does a referee have over ARs and TJs?
Answer: The referee may tell them what their duties are, overrule their decisions and send TJs off for misconduct.

During the Match
1. Where should ARs and TJs be positioned?
Answer: One on either side of the ground and in touch except when judging a kick at goal where they will stand behind the goal posts.

2. When may an AR enter the field of play?
Answer: To report an incident of foul play at the next stoppage in play.

Signals
1. What d ARs and TJs signal with?
Answer: A flag.

2. How do ARs and TJs signal successful kicks at goal?
Answer: By raising their flags.

3. What should ARs and TJs do when signalling for touch?
Answer: A. raise the flag when the ball or ball carrier goes into touch, B. stand at the place of the throw pointing to the team who throws in, C. lower the flag once the ball is thrown in except when the thrower stand on the touch line; when the team not entitled to throw in does so; when at a quick throw in the ball that went into touch is replaced by another ball or after it went into touch it was touched by anyone other than the thrower or the player who took in into touch, D. Note: it is for the referee to decide whether the ball is thrown in from the correct place.

4. How should the AR signal foul play?
Answer: A. the match organiser empowers the ARs to signal for foul pay, B. the AR holds the flag horizontally pointing in-field at right angles to the touch line, C. the AR stays in touch and continues to carry on with their duties until the next stoppage, D. at the invitation of the referee the AR may enter the playing area to report the offence, E. if the AR report leads to a player being temporarily or permanently suspended, the AR must complete the appropriate form as soon as possible after the match.

Additional Persons
1. Can appropriately trained medical personnel enter the playing area?
Answer: Yes.

2. Who can enter the playing area without the referee’s permission?
Answer: A. water carriers during a stoppage, B. a person carrying a kicking tee, C. coaches attending their teams at half time.

3. Can others manage replacements on the sideline?
Answer: Yes, if a sideline manager is appointed.