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Junior rugby language

B

Bully

New member
So I’m quite fresh to Rugby referring been doing it about a season now. I recently refereed my first adult game, which went surprisingly smoothly considering it was two local rivalries. I then officiated and under 16s game the following day tensions were high and the opposition team got excited, energetic as you do at that age, but we’re starting to use the language kill him, get him, hit him. Now what’s everyone’s opinions on this as it’s not technically swearing or cursing? How would you deal with the situation?
 
Tell them to stop
(don't rely on the capt to pass on message, make sure you can hear him passing it on, else tell them yourself)
Then having told them you can PK them
 
Bully said:
So I’m quite fresh to Rugby referring been doing it about a season now. I recently refereed my first adult game, which went surprisingly smoothly considering it was two local rivalries. I then officiated and under 16s game the following day tensions were high and the opposition team got excited, energetic as you do at that age, but we’re starting to use the language kill him, get him, hit him. Now what’s everyone’s opinions on this as it’s not technically swearing or cursing? How would you deal with the situation?
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Bully, what country are you in? If Australia, I'll offer you some thoughts
 
I think you'd struggle for credibility if you said teams couldnt say "get him" or "hit him" but I've spoken to players in youth games where I thought the language was overly inflamatory and I'd probably put "kill him" in that category (especially if prefixed with the f word). Context is important though and if it's one player I'd have a quiet word when appropriate, if it's more I'd speak to the Captain if you think they are up to the job (not all Captains at youth level are) otherwise as Crossref says, tell them yourself.
 
I had a similar issue a couple of seasons back with one team utterly dominating and winding their oppos up with gentle goads of “unlucky that time” or “so close” etc. nothing nasty but enough to really wind up the other team.

The losing team then made a comment about taking out the main mouthpiece next play. I made a very loud comment along the lines of “You’re not going to break any the laws of the game, are you…?” Which made them realize that a) I had heard them, and b) would be watching them more closely when the took on the aforementioned oppo.

They took it down a notch.

They still lost horribly but all was forgiven after the match due to the winning side providing copious amounts of pizza, cookies, and Gatorade.
 
Thanks for all your replies. I think it’s a difficult one personally. Like a few of you said I love their fighting spirit, but it’s where do you draw the line. Robust early on next time I think
 
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