Marius Jonker has been having an easy time lately, waving his flag about in Bloemfontein, which means that he has lots of energy left to answer readers' questions.

1. Name: Monde Skeyi
 
Question: Hi, Marius. On general play the attacking team drop the ball to the poles and the ball touches the hands of the defending team, and the ball goes over to the poles. What should be the decision of the referee? 

Marius Jonker: Hi Monde.

Award the drop goal.

Regards, Marius.
 
2. Name: Jannie
 
E-mail: jhpgriessel@vodamail. co. za
 
Question: Ek weet daar was gese dat enige skeidsregter enige wedstryd in die Super 14 kan blaas maar hoekom kry die Bulle Suid-Afrikaanse skeidsregters op hul toer terwyl al die ander spanne op toer NZ en Aus se skeidsregters kry. Dit is natuurlik moeileker want hul kyk na ander dinge as die SA se skeidsregters.
 
Dankie. Groete

Marius Jonker: Hallo Jannie.

Die skeidsregters word aangestel deur 'n paneel wat bestaan uit verteenwoordigers van al drie lande. Die feit dat die Bulle in hul laaste twee wedstryde SA skeidsregters gehad het is blote toeval en moet asb. niks daarin lees nie. Vroeër in die toernooi het Stuart Dickenson die Waratahs twee keer geblaas.

Ek weet darem nie of dit enigsins moeiliker is vir spanne nie. Alle skeidsregters het hulle sterk en swak punte en spanne is professioneel genoeg om hulle vinnig by skeidsregters se vertolking van reëls aan te pas.

Lekker dag.
Marius.

NB Jannie asks why the Bulls get South African referees when they are abroad while the other South African teams get Australian or New Zealand referees. He believes that this makes things harder for the teams with the non-SA referees. Marius says that the appointments are done by all three countries and that the Bulls have had South African referees has no significance and doubts whether the other teams will find the referees that they have any problem at all as professional sides learn to adapt.
 
3. Name: John Fourie
 
Question: In the Force vs 'Canes match this weekend, in the 18th minute, Nathan Sharpe was not awarded the try because he lost it forward.  If he had not lost it forward, would the try stand?

Marius Jonker: Hi John.

If he had not lost it forward but straight down and then grounded the ball the try would have been awarded.
 
4. Name: Morgan Davies
 
Question: One thing that I have noticed watching rugby over the years is some referees like to call "advantage" and others like to call "penalty advantage" along with the infringement that the advantage is given for.
 
Is there a set way to call advantage or is it referee preference as to the way they call advantage?

Marius Jonker: Hi Morgan.

The advantage law is a law  that is very much left to referee discretion and interpretation. There is no law prescribed to referees telling us to call penalty and/or scrum advantage. Most referees do this to make the teams aware of what advantage is applicable and to take their options accordingly. It also helps the viewers out there to understand what advantage is being played.

Regards, Marius.
 
5. Name: Bjorn Viljoen
 
Question: The ball is kicked towards the goal line. It bumps against the corner flag and goes into the in-goal area. If the flag post were not there the ball would have gone out. Could you help with the law as the flag post is not out but is it fair to say so or should the call be out?
 
Thanks 

Marius Jonker: Hi Bjorn.

Had the ball touched the cornerflag and gone into touch it would have been out and in touch/touch-in-goal. In your example the ball is not out and play continues.

Cheers., Marius.
 
6. Name: Bjorn Viljoen
 
Question: Reading about two of the top referees inspires me to just want to work even harder and enjoy the game even more if that was possible. I was just wondering would you be willing to come down to Polokwane in Limpopo province and spend a day with the referees and give advice and help with training ideas and just inspiration to all!  We could really benefit from a day like that. I think it must be great walking into a big stadium and having the opportunity to officiate a provincial or international game.

Thank you for your time and keep up the great work that you guys are doing.
 
Regards, Bjorn Viljoen

Marius Jonker: Hi Bjorn.

I am sure we could make a plan.

Please contact André Watson/Theuns Naudé via this website and they will assist and get one of the boys to your part of the world.

Regards, Marius.
 
Marius,
 
6. Name Louis Visser

Question: Who pays the referees?

Are they paid salaries or per match?

If per match are they paid an amount proportional to the importance of the match?

Who gets to choose the ref for a particular match? Who decides whether a ref is doing a good job or not?  And if so does he get lesser games at less pay, i.e. do refs ever get demoted? (There are a few refs I would like to demote if I could.)

I am probably biased but I feel that SA referees are superior to most overseas refs in the calm way in which they control the game. Some of the other refs tend to let the game get out of their control and then make panicky decisions

Well done guys. 
 
Marius Jonker: Hi Louis.

The referees gets paid by their home union and the IRB.

In any business employees are expected to perform at their best. Sometimes these employees have bad days and the get called in by their employer and counselled to get them back on track. They do not just get demoted and/or dismissed for every mistake that they make. If this were the case I am sure that we would all be sitting on the street - including you and I!

Referees are treated along the same principles and guidelines. If the employee/referee does not improve then further steps are taken.

I am sure you are not the only one out there wanting to demote referees!

Thanks for your confidence shown towards the SA referees. I shall pass the message on to them.

Just a thought -  A very wise old man once told me the following very early in my career. . . . . . "My boy, we have lost of s. . t with referees in games but without referees we will have more s. . t !

Have a great day.

Marius.