My view!

1
The Contact Zone

• My view!
• Presentation by Peter Allan

2
Introduction

• Presentation not intended to give a lecture but
  an overview of my approach
• Contact Zone to me refers to the tackle / contact
  situation and what happens immediately thereafter
• Fundamentally the hardest aspect of a game for
  the referee to get consistently correct
• Hopefully by sharing my thoughts and approaches
  it will generate discussion from which we can all
  learn and improve this aspect or our refereeing

3
Key Principles

• Ensure a fair contest for possession
• Referee both sides equally
• Ensure teams have the opportunity to win (and
  use) quick ball
• Apply common sense and consistency for 80 mins
• Penalise what is clear / obvious and most
  importantly MATERIAL
• Allow the players the opportunity to resolve the
  contest themselves (legally!)

4
Question?

• When do you start refereeing a tackle /
  collision???
• When contact is made?
• When the tackle is complete?
• When the arriving player arrives?
• I believe the refereeing of the tackle /
  collision should happen before it even happens

5
Why?

• Mental pictures can be of great assistance to
  referees
• By understanding which team / player has momentum
  or if the player is isolated, the referee can
  start to consider - what should happen
• A team / player going forward with momentum and
  support - 9/10 times the ball should be recycled
• Isolated players / dominant tackle increases the
  chances of a turnover

6
Adjustments for 2009/2010

• IRB Directive on arriving players continuing to
  contest possession after a ruck has formed.
• If this situation arises - only 3 outcomes -
• The ball is turned over
• The player on the ground is penalised for holding
  on
• The team in possession counter-ruck quickly to
  blow the jackel off the ball.
• In situation 3 the players will invariably go to
  ground as a consequence of their action - however
  this is a positive action and should generally
  not be penalised.

7
IRB Rationale

• Looking for increased turnovers and greater
  fluidity to the game
• Expecting players to take responsibility for
  resolving the breakdown not the referees voice
  or whistle
• Trying to ensure a fair contest by giving the
  defending team greater potential to turn ball
  over than before
• Less communication by referees - clear and
  concise

8
What is material?

• To me a material offence at the Contact Zone is
  something that either prevents fair competition
  for the ball or unnecessarily slows down
  recycling of possession
• The key to the breakdown is to identify and
  penalise the clear and obvious material offences
• All acts may be material and it is the referees
  judgment to determine these on a case by case
  basis - up to 250 times each match - hence the
  difficulty of this area!

9
Positioning

• Work hard to arrive early and adopt a position
  where the ball is clearly visable
• If, as you are arriving, the ball has clearly
  been recycled then stay wide on attacking side
  and pivot on delivery
• If the situation requires management, get in
  close and move away as early as you feel
  comfortable
• Personally I try to avoid the chariot / jockey
  position unless slow ball
• Timing of movement in goal is crucial to avoid
  obstruction or becoming a target!

10
Communication

• Trying to reduce communication to the bare
  essentials
• Timing of communication is crucial -
• If a ruck forms early and ball is clearly won do
  we need to say anything?
• If a ruck forms early but ball is not clear -
  early call of ruck and possibly no hands in
  this instance
• If a tackle has occurred and the arriving player
  has his hands on the ball before a ruck can form
  - say nothing?? THOUGHTS??
• Should we be saying anything else e.g tackler
  move / arrive upetc?

11
Thought Process

• Identify early who has momentum and if ball
  carrier is isolated
• Look to see if tackler or other opponent has
  targeted the ball
• Identify when the tackle has been completed (ie
  held on the ground)
• Awareness of speed and positioning of arriving
  players (ie do we concern ourselves with the
  tackler or the tackled player)
• Is the ball clear or can the situation be managed
• Not emerging and nobodys fault unplayable

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Key Issues

• Arriving early and locating the ball
• Awareness of potential turnover
• Ensuring a fair contest by allowing the tackled
  player the opportunity to play the ball whilst
  allowing the opportunity for turnovers
• Awareness of players going to ground (on or near
  the ball)
• Awareness of material illegal entry
• How long to let the players contest before
  something avoidable happens?

13
Discussion - please!