Mark Lawrence answers readers' questions at this exciting time in rugby when great competitions end and tours happen.

1. Name: Scott
E-mail: koala_boy_25@hotmail.com 

Question: Hello,

Being elite level referees working around the world, what are the fitness standards that both the SARFU and the IRB set? And how many hours do you dedicate per week to conditioning?

Regards, Scott 

Mark Lawrence: Hi Scott,

Refereeing is certainly becoming a young man's game. Fitness standards are pretty demanding now, as the referee has to keep up with the pace of the modern game.

I remember starting on the SARU panels way back in 1994 and that was the first year fitness standards were introduced. We had to do a 2,4km run and some explosive testing like jumps and sprints. I failed everything that year.

Then they introduced Bleep tests, Phosphate decrement tests, fat percentage tests, sprints, etc.

At first the minimum standard was level 11 on the bleep but this has crept up to 12.5 minimum with 13 being the bench mark currently.

At World Cup in 2003, the Wallaby George Smith, couldn't run above 11 on the bleep and failed to make the minimum referee standards and he is one of the best fetchers in the world.

Therefore, most of us spend 12 to 15 hours a week doing speed work, endurance and gym training. The provincial referees often referee two schools game on Saturday morning, a club game that afternoon and often a social league on Sunday. Pretty demanding stuff and I am proud to say referees these days are as fit as the players.

Luckily we don't take contact like the players although seeing Jonathan Kaplan take a huge tackle in the Super 14 Final makes we wonder when we will need to do some contact training.

Keep well and fit

Regards, Mark

2. Name: François Coetzee 

Question: I have paged through all the Law Rulings regarding the line-out and still have a question:

Blue throws in at a line-out and Red is defending. May Blue have more than the usual number of players in such a line out?

The current Law Book (2009) states on p.118 Law 19.8 (a) and (b) that the minimum number is two from each team and that the maximum is determined by the team throwing in.

Law 19.8 (e) (p. 120) further explains that the Red team should be given reasonable time to comply when Blue have less than the usual number in the line out.

Therefore the question: Is Blue allowed to have, for example, 12 players in the line-out (complying with the other laws governing line outs - e.g. between the 5m and 15m)?

Thanks in advance! 

Mark Lawrence: Hello François,

Thanks for the well prepared question and for doing your home work on it.

Law 19.8 (a) states only the minimum number of two.

Therefore one can have 14 players in the line out as long as they are in a line between the 5m and 15m lines.

This actually happened many years ago when the Irish played Western Province at Newlands. All the Irish players stood in the line-out and won the ball as they had far more line out players than Western Province. Unfortunately the referee incorrectly penalised the Irish.

Regards, Mark

3. Name: Alna-Talita Kriel 

Question: Hallo, oom Mark. Ek will net he oom moet asb die IRB Ruling 4:2009 vir my verduidelik. Die nuwe ruling oor law 15 en 16.

Groete Alna-Talita.          

Mark Lawrence: Hello Alna

Goed om van jou te hoor en hoop die skeidregterskap loop vlot.

Die nuwe “ruling” het te doen met die eerste speler wat by 'n doodvat situasie arriveer.

As hy sy hande op die bal kry (en is op sy voete) en 'n opposisie speler bind nou aan hom om 'n losskum te vorm, hoef hy nie meer die bal te los en kan die skeidsregter hom nie straf vir hande in die losskrum nie.

In die verlede moes die speler die bal los as n' losskrum vorm

Hoop dit maak nou sin.

Groete vir almal tuis, Mark

NB Alna asks about a recent IRB Ruling of the IRB which says that if the first player at a tackle is on his feet and playing the ball with his hands he should be allowed to continue doing so even when an opponent makes contact with him.

4. Name: Bunny Bolton

Question: If you are the touch judge and you put your flag up, are you then allowed to change your mind and bring it down? If you are, it could cause chaos.

Secondly, why do referees call play on. The other day a referee did it and the players stopped playing. Are you going to call play on after every pass and kick?

Mark Lawrence: Hello Bunny,

Thanks for highlighting my wonderful blunder a few weeks ago. The touch laws can get quite tricky and sometimes our judgment lets us down. In that situation the referee should actually award a scrum to the team moving forward.

Law 20.4 (d) Scrum after any other stoppage. After any other stoppage or irregularity not covered by Law, the team that was moving forward before the stoppage throws in the ball. If neither team was moving forward, the attacking team throws in the ball.

The “play on" call is used by referees to acknowledge they have seen what may be perceived as an error but in terms of law it is actually not one. An example of this is when a player catches a ball and loses it straight down and it then bounces forward. Every one thinks it is a knock on but the referee clarifies this by calling play on. He is simply saying he has seen it and is satisfied there is no infringement in terms of law.

Regards, Mark