Rugby Rules

Rugby Rules

Referee’s Signalling

Try – The referee stands on the tryline and faces the team that scored. He raises his arm vertically and blows his whistle.

Penalty Kick – The referee faces the sideline and with his arm straight and angled upwards, points towards the non-offending team. The non-offending team has the option of a penalty kick or a scrum.

Scrum Feed – The referee faces the sideline and, with his arm horizontal and at waist height, points towards the team that gets the scrum feed, that is, the team to put the ball into the scrum.

Advantage – To indicate that a team has advantage, the referee stretches out his arm at waist height, pointing it towards the non-offending team for a period of approximately 5 seconds. The advantage is used to keep the game flowing. Rather than stop play to award a penalty, the referee has decided to give the non-offending team the advantage of continuing on with the ball, or continue their attacking move.

Forward Pass – The referee makes an exaggerated hand gesture as if he has just made an imaginary pass which has gone well forward.

Slow Release – When the referee considers a player has not released the ball immediately at the tackle, he makes a signal with both hands to his chest, as if he is holding an imaginary ball.

Knock on – The referee stretches out his arm above his head with a bent elbow and moves his open hand backwards and forwards.