Useful Refereeing Documents / Links

Here are the most likely documents and links that you will need in your week-to-week refereeing. If you would like to see anything else useful appear here, please email Neil at webmaster@northmidsrefs.co.uk

You will also find some helpful short tutorial videos on some of the referee admin tasks that referees undertake on a regular basis by clicking here

Code of Conduct

Please find the code of conduct for Match Officials as released by the RFU.

England RFU Match Officiating Insurance

The RFU arranges insurance cover for all Referee Societies, Details of all the cover provided is available on a dedicated section of the England Rugby Insurance centre website. Further details can be found clicking here.

Safeguarding / Child Protection

Please click this link to review the common sense guidelines as issued by the RFU relating to the Junior game.

Commonsense Guidance[2]Download

Post-Match Report Forms

You can download these forms by clicking the title links below. The documents can then be completed on your screen, or printed and completed by hand.

Red Card Report Form / Red Card Report Form for Age-Grade (U18 and under)

Red Card forms should be sent only to the Society Disciplinary Secretary Dave Thomas in the first instance (you may be asked to forward copies to the player’s local RFU in due course, but please do not do this unless requested). Forms can be scanned and emailed to discipline@northmidsrefs.co.uk. Guidance notes for completing the form can be downloaded here

Match Official Abuse RFU Briefing

Referee Abuse Report Form

Please complete this form for ANY form of abuse received by you as referee from a player, a coach or a spectator, as soon as possible after the event. When completing the form please follow the guidelines, as set out by the RFU:

The report should address all of the issues below which apply to the incident(s) the subject of the report:

What decision or action of the Match Official prompted the alleged abuse?
Where on the field did this occur?
How far away from the offending were you when the offending words were spoken (or physical act committed)?
To the best of your recollection, what were the precise words spoken?
Did the offender make eye contact with you when the offending remarks were made?
Are you in a position to discount the possibility that the offending words were directed at someone other than yourself such as a team mate or opponent?
What impact did the offence have on the remainder of the match – e.g. what was the response of the other players to the offender’s words or actions?
After you notified the offender of your decision how did they respond?
Did you have any subsequent contact with the offender?
Was there an appointed Assistant Referee or Referee Assessor/Performance Reviewer who may be able to provide supporting evidence?
Was there a witness to the abuse? and if so, can you provide the name of the witness?

In cases where physical abuse is alleged:

What part of the offender’s body was used to initiate (or attempt to initiate) physical contact – e.g. clenched fist, hand, arm, elbow, knee, foot?
Were you in a position where you were able to defend yourself and/or take evasive action?
Did actual physical contact occur?
If so, with which part of your body was contact made?
How would you describe the level of force used?
Did you sustain any injury?

If you require help or support in writing the form or have any questions Dave is happy to help – drop the form across to the Society Disciplinary Secretary below prior to full submission.

Forms should be sent/copied to all three of the following:

The Society Disciplinary Secretary – discipline@northmidsrefs.co.uk

The Society Chair, Leonie Pryor chair@northmidsrefs.co.uk

North Mids RFU Disciplinary Secretary, nmrfu.discsec@gmail.com

Abandoned Match Form

If you or any other involved party (team, captain, club official) abandons a match before full time, this form should be completed and sent to the same three recipients as above

Serious Injury Form

This form is to be completed as soon as possible after the event, and should be considered a priority.

Guidance for clubs on how to manage serious injury is available here.

Completed forms should be emailed to :

The Society Secretary admin@northmidsrefs.co.uk

The RFU Sports Injuries Administrator sportsinjuriesadmin@rfu.com

It’s especially important that these forms are filled in as soon as possible after any such event to assist with any necessary processes.

If you need guidance in completing any of these forms, please feel free to contact us first. We are happy to offer any advice you may need.

Feedback Cards

Please complete as many of these as possible during the season. Not only are they used to assess referees for level upgrades, they are a very good indicator of how clubs think we are doing!

Score Cards Example 1 / E xample 2

You may have your own way of keeping score during the game, but here are a couple of examples you may find useful. Click above to download them

Other useful documents and links

Pre-match preparation for new/young referees

NEW Current Guidelines for Studs/boots

NEW Pitch condition /postponement procedure

World Rugby Current Lawbook

Touchline Behaviour Management

RFU Keep Your Boots On (KYBO) learning resources for referees and coaches

North Mids RFU : the governing body for all forms of Rugby Union in the North Midlands Area

Midlands Regional Organising Committee website: Covers the relevant RFUs across the midlands & regulations

World Rugby Laws page