Back from New Zealand where he refereed the Maori's centenary match against Ireland, Mark Lawrence answers referees' questions.

1. Name: Jaco Jooste

Question: Hi

Thank you for the oppotunity.

I'm an aspiring referee with the Lions and has been a ref for 4 years now. What can I expect to earn per month or per match if I reach 1. Provincial level, 2. Super 14 level, 3. Test level? Rugby and refereeing is my passion and if I'm fortunate enough to reach a level where I will be able to make an full time career out of it, I would like to know what kind of remuneration I can expect?

Thank you

Mark Lawrence: Hello Jaco,

Great to hear that refereeing is your passion, and you are going to need this to get to the top! There are going to be times, especially at the higher level, where the pressure, travel and criticism are going to get a bit much. That's when your passion will be called into action

Unfortunately, this is not the forum to discuss the specifics of remuneration, but in my opinion, you will have to make the top five if you want to make a living from refereeing alone.

I wish you well in your refereeing endeavors

Regards, Mark

2. Name: Freddie Klopper

Question: Hi, I would like to ask a question regarding the New Zealand -Ireland game. When Jamie Heaslip was given a red card (rightly) for a deliberate knee. Should the New Zealand player who received the knee have been sin-binned for being on the wrong side of the ruck. Whilst the severity of Heaslip's offence was far greater, surely Wayne Barnes should have acknowledged this offence and given the appropriate sanction regardless of the situation.

Mark Lawrence: Hi Freddie,

I was assistant referee in the match to which your question refers. In my discussions with Wayne, at no time was he of the opinion that New Zealand infringed at the tackle ruck where Jamie Heaslip used his knee. If he felt that New Zealand had deliberately infringed, then obviously he would have yellow-carded the infringing player. Interestingly, if a player infringes requiring a yellow card, and the retaliator's infringement is also deemed to be a yellow card, the penalty will normally go against the instigator even though the law requires the retaliator to be penalised. This is an agreement in SANZAR competitions to try and stop players from starting all the trouble. In my opinion it has worked wonders because we just don't see this kind of foul play in Super 14 and Tri-Nations anymore.

Thanks for your question

Regards, Mark

3. Name: Johann Delport

Question: Hi.

Thank you again for the fantastic site.

I have a couple of questions today.

Firstly something that is seen week in and week out in first class and international rugby on TV. The ball carrier will get tackled by one or two players from the opposition who all go to ground. Then his team mates will bind together and stand over him with no opposition players binding onto them, thus it is only a tackle, no ruck is formed. But the referee will insist that the opposition form a line and not step over it. If they do, they get penalised. Is this just laziness by referees to make life easier for themselves by calling a ruck and having offside lines rather than propperly looking at what phase of play is actually in front of them? And yes, I know I myself am also guilty of it.

My second question comes from today's NZ vs Wales game. Two or three times on their own lineout the last two Welsh players in the line would step 2 -3 metres out of the lineout just as the ball is trown in, before the lineout is over. By doing that they become 2 extra attackers and will be passed the ball from the receiver. Are the not liable to be penalised for leaving the lineout early? Maybe something to look out for next week.

Thank you.

Mark Lawrence: Hello Johann,

Thanks for the interesting questions. Regarding the first question, I recall many years ago, the Crusaders beat the Brumbies in a Super 14 final by not setting up a ruck. They would tackle and then fan out, often standing 'offside' to prevent the Brumbies from getting their backline going. In terms of law the referee was correct in not penalising the off side as there is no offside at a tackle, only a gate at the tackle through which players must enter if they want to contest the ball. A lot of role players felt that while the referee was correct, this was not the way the game was intended to be played and was not in the spirit of the game. Nevertheless, teams have now learnt how to deal with this and so we don't see it as a tactic these days but only as the odd once-off and hence referees often rule a ruck when one hasn't been formed. The reason is that he has so much to look at. Tackler, released and rolled away, tackled player not holding on, arriving players through the gate, etc, etc and hence the odd assumption from the referee there is a ruck when he sees bodies on the ground and players of a team standing over the ball. Easy mistake if you rewind and watch it in slo-mo. But out of an average of 150 rucks in a game, the players understand if we err at one or two!

Question 2 is also a difficult one to pick up as there is a lot to watch out for at lineouts. In short however, players may not leave the line out except to peel off.

Law 19.12 Peeling off is quoted here for you.

19.12 PEELING OFF DEFINITIONS
A line-out player 'peels off' when leaving the line-out to catch the ball knocked or passed back by a team-mate.
(a) When: A player must not peel off until the ball has left the hands of the player throwing it in.
Penalty: Free Kick on the 15-metre line, in line with the line of touch.
(b) A player who peels off, must stay within the area from that players' line of touch to 10 metres from the line of touch, and must keep moving until the line-out has ended.
Penalty: Free Kick on the 15-metre line, in line with the line of touch.
(c) Playters may change position in the lineout before the ball is thrown in.

Law 19,14 (e) states no player may leave the line out before it has ended.

Law 19.14 (e) No player of either team participating in the line-out may leave the line-out until it has ended.
Sanction: Penalty kick on the 15-metre line

So besides watching a multitude of possible infringements at a lineout, the referee also has to determine if the players peeled off or left the line out.

Not so easy especially if you have to watch both teams at the SAME time!

Regards, Mark

4. Name: Pieter Rautenbach

Question: Dankie weereens vir die kans om te kan vrae vra. In Saterdag se wedstryd 19/6/2010 tussen Australië en Engeland het die haker van Engeland in 'n losgemaal ingeduik en met sy skouer van die Aussies uitgehaal. Daar is net 'n strafskop toegeken. Nou my vraag. Bakkies is vir weke geskors oor min of meer dieselfde tipe voorval. Gaan die spoeler ook geskors word?

Mark Lawrence: Hallo Pieter,

Ek het die voorval gesien en ek is bly jy se dit is "min of meer" en nie presies dieselfde nie. Dus is die straf ook nie presies dieselfde nie.

Ek hoor elke jaar van toeskouers af dat hul span swaarder gestraf is vir dieselfde voorval as die ander span. Wel, geen twee gevalle kan presies die selfde wees nie en boonop kan twee mense se oordeel nie presies dieselfde wees nie, en dit sluit skeidsregters in. Jy moet ook in gedagte hou dat 'n wedstryd wat in slegte gees gespeel is, strenger deur die skeidsregter gehanteer word want hy moet orde hou. Spanne wat herhaaldelik oortree gaan ook op 'n stadium 'n geel kaart kry vir 'n oortreding wat die ander span net voor gewoonweg gestraf word omdat hulle minder oortree het!. 'n Speler wat in sy lewe gereeld oortree gaan strawwer hanteer word as een wat min oortree het.

Niemand in die wêreld waarmee ek in die laaste jaar gesels het, kla oor Bakkies se straf, maar ons in SA kla nogsteeds... Is dit omdat ons partydig is en ons spanne se foute minder raak sien as dié van die teenstanders? The old story of my team can do no wrong and the opposition can do no right.

Food for thought and time to move on methinks.

Dankie vir die vraag en hoop jy verstaan my punt.

Groete, Mark

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