Coaches and referees involved in the NatWest 6 Nations have met ahead of the opening round of matches as part of an ongoing commitment from World Rugby and teams to open dialogue and alignment.
Following a successful meeting ahead of the November internationals, the workshop enabled referees and coaches to review and discuss key areas of game management and coaching approach, including scrum stability, offside at the tackle and ruck and player back-chat.
During a highly-positive and constructive meeting, all agreed that while consistency of officiating is important, coaches, players and match officials collectively have a responsibility to ensure that a positive approach is maintained and the laws of the game upheld.
World Rugby High Performance Match Official Manager Alain Rolland confirmed the ‘no change’ message to the coaches, underlining the ongoing commitment to consultation and communication between World Rugby and its member unions in all areas of refereeing practice.
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Chairman of the Match Officials Selection Committee Anthony Buchanan said: “Having spoken with the coaches, they all have clarity on what World Rugby is trying to achieve via the match officials and they have been informed there is no change in emphasis. There are always areas that we can re-focus on or strive to do better at, both as match officials and coaches and it is encouraging that the coaches have all bought into the process.”
Rolland added: “These meetings have incredible value for all participants and I would like to thank the coaches and referees for their full input and alignment on key areas of officiating. It is through this dialogue that we are able to ensure that the game continues to improve as a spectacle and experience for players, coaches, match officials and fans.”
With quick ball and space being crucial to attacking movements, it was agreed that referees would focus on ensuring this was not prevented illegally by defences, with tacklers, assistant tacklers and arriving players all obliged to show compliance. Offside at the tackle and ruck and from restarts and maintaining a gap in the lineout will be focus areas.
Another important aspect discussed was the scrum with coaches being told that the match officials would be less tolerant of infringements, including early engagement and scrum feeds. All agreed that there is a collective responsibility to maintain stability.
Following the coaches meeting, the referees, assistant referees and TMOs met in London on Wednesday as part of their final team preparation for the championship, which kicks off on Saturday. Within a day of discussion aimed at fine-tuning a consistent approach, Jérôme Garcès ran a session on penalty try alignment and Wayne Barnes on the approach to deliberate knock-ons.
Nigel Owens, who will referee France versus Ireland on the opening weekend, said: “We get together as a group with the assistant referees and TMOs quite a few times a year before and during the international windows to prepare as best we can as a team. It is hugely beneficial. We are always learning and striving to improve our accuracy and consistency from match to match and the group works really hard.
“Because we are together a lot, there is great alignment. It is a case of more of the same for the Six Nations after a good November, while always looking for continual improvement. We are focusing on a competitive scrum, promotion of space for the attacking side and enabling the defending team to have a fair chance to win the ball.”
