In-touch with South African Referees Edition 3, 2011 www.sareferees.co.za CRAIG JOUBERT at the top of his game At 33 Craig Joubert became the youngest referee and the second South African to take charge of a Rugby World Cup final. Craig Joubert’s selection to tournament that exceeded all my officiate in the most prestigious expectations.’ game of this year’s Rugby World Cup was just reward for his Craig says the mood at the outstanding performances during tournament was electric. ‘The the showpiece tournament. ‘On pool stages were played in a four consecutive weekends I had carnival-type atmosphere, as four games which progressively the people of New Zealand and became the biggest and most the travelling fans turned each important of my career,’ he game into an occasion. We recalls. ‘England vs Scotland on spoke as a referee group about Gallo Images/AFP the final weekend of pool play how this feel-good factor would became a virtual knockout game, be replaced by an intensity and and then I was fortunate enough increased focus on referees’ to be given the responsibility of performances and decisions as refereeing a quarter-final, semi- teams started to get knocked final and the final on consecutive out, and so it proved. The weekends.’ intensity went up considerably as we got towards the end of the Craig, the son of a provincial pool stages and results started to referee, has been refereeing determine which teams qualified since he was at high school. He’s for the playoffs and which teams known for his calm demeanour went home.’ and almost unflappable presence, and these came to Craig himself is back home now, the fore during the World Cup. and well into his pre-season ‘My approach was consistent training. ‘I’m determined to with my approach in every other come back in 2012 fitter and Test match I’ve refereed,’ he better than I’ve ever been says about the four games he before,’ he says. officiated. ‘I tried to change nothing and stuck to refereeing the ‘‘clear and obvious’’. It was * The first South African to referee a an enormous responsibility and Rugby World Cup final was André Watson, he was in charge of the 1999 and 2003 a tremendous experience for me, showpieces in Wales and Australia and I can now look back on a respectively. Mark Jason Jaaftha Lawrence & Rasta Ra- on referee sivhenge coaching off to the Sevens Craig Joubert Craig Joubert Paddy’s Patch Paddy’s In this issue... pg 11 pg 12 SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY REFEREE SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 1 In-touch Edition 3 2011 www.sareferees.co.za What’s on my mind André’s insight into law changes 3 CEO’s report What a year it’s been 4 Referees make their mark SARRA choose their executive 6 Jonathan at the World Cup Some insight into his RWC experience 7 News Wrap Free State choose their executive 8 Kim Smit is new women’s coach Changes to Varsity Cup WP elect their executive 9 A woman’s touch Marlize Jordaan in the spotlight 10 The role of the referee coach Mark Lawrence looks at his new role 11 Local lads hit the IRB Sevens circuit Rasta and Jason are on the world stage 12 Pro’s a professional Pro Legoete stays positive 13 Gallo images Technical insight Mark Lawrence looks at Law 17 – the maul 14 Refs Academy A look at the Maties Referee Academy 16 CONTENTS In-touch is produced by Imbongi Communications for the South African Rugby Referees’ Association. Imbongi Communications CC PO Box 2198, Clareinch 7740, Tel: 021 671 9143 • Fax: 021 683 0644 Email: [email protected] • www.imbongisa.com All rights are reserved. Reproduction of this publication without the permission of SARA is prohibited. For editorial contributions or more information contact: Cullum Johnston 021 671 9143 or [email protected]. IRB Panels Referees Craig Joubert, Jonathan Kaplan, Marius Jonker, Mark Lawrence (retired from Test rugby) Assistant Referees Christie du Preez, Cobus Wessels Television Match Officials Shaun Veldsman, Johan Meuwesen Selector, coach Tappe Henning Women referees Eugenia Daniels, Magda van den Heever, Marlize Jordaan SANZAR PANELS In another massive show of faith in South Africans’ refereeing abilities, Sanzar, the body governing Super Rugby and the soon-to-be-inaugurated Rugby Championship, appointed five SARRA referees to the Merit Panel for the 2012 tournaments. In addition, another two South Africans made it on to the Reserve Panel – that’s an amazing seven out of 18 appointments! Merit Panel Reserve Panel Marius Jonker, Craig Joubert, Jonathan Kaplan, Stuart Berry, Mark Lawrence, Jaco Peyper Lourens van der Merwe 22 www.sareferees.co.za In-touch Edition 3 2011 Wat’son my mind Like all rugby lovers, give you a broad insight into the thinking in issues such as scoring of points and foul play. order to improve the game even further and You may remember that we had dispensation I’m wondering what smooth out certain rough edges. from the IRB and experimented with the lies ahead with regards extended use of the TMO in South Africa. We to law amendments. Scrums know that it can work and I have little doubt It goes without saying that the scrum is being that it will be implemented sooner rather than Personally, and based looked at in terms of the resets, and some later, and I’m confident that it will make a on general feedback proposals suggest changing the four-call positive contribution to the game. engagement to three. (Some even suggested from players, coaches making it possible for props to grip the Common sense proposals and supporters, opponent’s jersey by making alterations to Other interesting proposals include: having the it seems that the the jersey.) Another suggestion is that the option of a lineout when awarded a penalty scrumhalf not be allowed to follow the ball at kick near the goal line, as opposed to the game is in better a scrum but should stay at the tunnel – as in current practice of taking the PK and kicking shape following the primary school rugby in South Africa. There’s for touch anyway – all time consuming while application of the also speculation that wheeled and collapsed everybody knows what the likely outcome will scrums are under scrutiny. The IRB will be; and better and faster quick-throw options ‘Big 5’ over the last appoint a scrum steering group to come up in order to get the game going more smoothly, two years. with answers and suggestions, and these excitingly and quickly. will then in all probability be trialled in South Africa and England (one southern-hemisphere This is just an appetiser, as we still have to There seems to be better understanding at country and one northern). complete the adjudication process before the the breakdown and fewer ‘lottery’ decisions, final changes can be announced. Till then, and scrum resets are down by at least 25% Television Match Official you’re welcome to speculate over the summer, compared to some years ago. So, that’s a big There have been numerous proposals to and I have little doubt that South Africans will thumbs-up to the IRB. extend the function of the TMO and we in consume many a Charles Glass in discussion South Africa are very happy that these are across the braai! However, as required by the stakeholders, being seriously considered. The game is there still need be some adjustments and we simply too professional not to use the available Happy festive season and see you all in should constantly work towards improving technology in a sensible way in big-ticket the new year. this wonderful game. Again, here the IRB has been proactive in requesting law amendment proposals from all Unions. Some of the ideas received were brilliant; others ranged from unique to silly to downright ridiculous! That said, SA Rugby has proposed numerous changes and not all have been accepted for recommendation, so I guess some of our proposals may have been regarded as silly too. Anyway, if you don’t try, you won’t succeed. It’s a great experience to see how differently the world of rugby thinks, and yet with a common goal. Long may this process continue. The IRB has established a Law Project group to assess the proposals. They’ve been working on this over the last two months in order for recommendations to be considered by the IRB Council. I’ve been a part of the process and have found it very interesting and stimulating. I’m not allowed to state at this stage which proposals will fly in terms of experimental laws and/or application in the near future, but I can 3 In-touch Edition 3 2011 www.sareferees.co.za What a year it’s been It’s been another busy year, with lots of refereeing action on the local and international scene, and South African referees playing a big part in both. 44 www.sareferees.co.za In-touch Edition 3 2011 The rugby highlight of the year was the first training session in 2012; can you imagine and the creation of a standalone Referee IRB World Cup. Unfortunately for us, the the impact that would have if even only half of Department with André Watson as the Springboks were unable to defend their crown, them actually went on to join? general manager. This is a clear indication but perhaps more unfortunate was the sense of the importance given to refereeing that a referee’s below-par performance could Training and development of referees is one matters by the governing body.