URC head of match officials Tappe Henning says excessive player appeals to referees are becoming a growing concern.
According to the former Test referee, match officials are increasingly frustrated by players shouting for decisions – like “Head contact, ref!” or “Offside!” – and said stricter measures could follow if behaviour does not improve.
“It is becoming excessive,” Henning said during a URC media briefing. “We do not want to go into a zero-tolerance approach, but if it does not improve we will get to a point where we apply zero tolerance.”
Henning said referees are encouraged to manage situations calmly and work through team captains wherever possible.
“The referee will try to manage it early in the game and request the captain to take control of his players,” he explained. “What we definitely do not want is four or five players surrounding the referee.”
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Henning added that emotional reactions from players were understandable, but boundaries and respect remained essential.
“We understand disappointment and frustration from players, but if the referee draws the line in the sand, we expect players to respect that.
“That will be one of our discussions tonight to ensure our playoffs remain a spectacle.”
Henning also spoke about the art of “smart refereeing”, where officials manage minor technical infringements verbally instead of immediately awarding penalties.
“If there’s an opportunity to tell a player, ‘Leave the ball now’, and the ball becomes available, we try to do that,” he said.
“That’s part of the art of refereeing, understanding when to manage, when to play advantage and when to penalise immediately.
“We are not trying to coach players. We are trying to contribute to continuity where a very minor infringement has little impact on play.”
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Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images/Getty Images
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URC head of match officials Tappe Henning says excessive player appeals to referees are becoming a growing concern.
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