ERURS 12 MAYDAY & Safe Rugby
Hello there!
Well, this web page has been updated as of February 18/08.
Rugby is a contact sport - and where there is forces colliding, there are opportunities for injury. Safe Rugby is modeled, OK, adapted from the Australian SmartRugby program which was created to ensure that COACHES AND REFEREE across Canada build ’smart’ playing techniques into all aspects of Rugby training and play, at all skill levels where there is a tackling component. This will be the occupational health and safety program for the game of Rugby in Canada, and as of January 18, 2008, is a compulsory minimum requirement for every coach and referee participating in Rugby where there is a tackling component, requiring qualification EVERY year. To be fully effective, it requires ongoing commitment.
The ERURS is only concerned with referees taking the course of Safe Rugby, and particularly that the game is being played in the safest manner. The ERU, CRU, High School, and Junior Coaches must also certify yearly, but this is out of the ERURS’ domain and into the Rugby Alberta domain. The referees are primarily concerned that the players are also informed through the Safe Rugby program, especially regarding the MAYDAY call. Referees can confirm during the pre-game chat that the players have practiced the Mayday procedure.
The ERURS would prefer that each & every referee take the Safe Rugby course before refereeing, and so the official Safe Rugby night for Referees is on Monday, April 7/08 at the Rockers Clubhouse. Please come!
So, please referee with SAFETY as number on priority. Remember, if it looks dangerous, it probably is. This is a special request that was put forth by the high school coaches at the first Safe Rugby seminar on Apr 2/07: Absolutely zero tolerance of SHIRT tackling, SWING tackling. Makes absolute sense. Anyway …
YOU need to know about the MAYDAY Call Procedure today. If you hear MAYDAY blow your whistle and have all players stop pushing immediately, be it a SCRUM, ruck or maul. Here is the book version WITH TEST, no peeking, to be e-mailed to me MAYDAYtest@kimgroome.com before to prepare you all, with two disclaimer:
1) this does not remove your responsibility to take the full Safe Rugby course;
2) and even after this test, you will promise to take the Safe Rugby course. Thanks…
3) add this to your pre-game chat with the tight five (1 2 3 4 5), or even the whole team at boot check!!! Make sure the young players KNOW and UNDERSTAND the MAYDAY situation.
Please read the MAYDAY procedure, and e-mail me your answers to this MAYDAY mini test. You can e-mail me the completed document, or just e-mail me the answers to: MAYDAYtest@kimgroome.com
See you on April 7/08.