Why Referee?

• To remain active in the sport following injury or retirement
• To assist players to enjoy their game
• To take advantage of opportunities to travel extensively
• To make new, long lasting friends in the Game
• The exhilaration of the mental and physical competition 
• A sense of achievement and the satisfaction of providing an invaluable service
• To enjoy it!

Getting Started

November 2006 saw the introduction of the RFU’s Entry Level Referee Award (ELRA), a 3 Stage award designed to provide new referees with the key tools to be able to referee competently.

If you choose to join a Referees Society, then you will be required to complete all 3 Stages of the ELRA.  If, however, you wish to remain only within your own school, club or university, then you need only complete Stages 1 and 2, which consider the following aspects of refereeing:

• Management and Control
• Problem Solving
• Refereeing the key phases of the Game
• Positioning and Communication
• Laws of the Game

Crucial to your learning is that a significant part of both Stages is practically based i.e. you will have an opportunity to observe refereeing in practice, whilst demonstrating your own skills on the field of play.

Details of courses being delivered nationwide are available here or you can contact your local Referee Development Officer (RefDO), whose details can be found here