Thursday 3 September 2009

New Rugby Season Beckons


My kit is washed and my boots are buffed. The big boys have had a few friendlies, but the Premiership action starts this weekend and so will the action down in the lower reaches. I haven’t been assigned a game yet, but hopefully some last minute call will come on Friday evening.

Personal targets for this season are to get more games than last year. Fitness is up (though you wouldn’t tell from looking at me) and I am unlikely to suffer another catastrophic injury (touch wood). That said, getting my weight down and speed up would enhance my performance.

I was prompted at the end of last season and with a decent run of quality games getting to Level 10 at Christmas is achievable. It will rely on getting those assessment cards back to the bunker. I also want to get Assistant Referee qualified; it’s a way of getting involved in higher level games without the fitness or development issues that come with being 41.

There is going to be a tough learning curve for both players and referees with the new breakdown and obstruction/maul directives, so getting on top of those early and making it look like I’m in control are crucial. The last point goes for the whole game, never let it look like you’re unsure. Players are like wild animals, they can sense when you’re afraid and will use it their advantage.

Most importantly, I’ve got to carry on enjoying it.

2 comments:

Johann T said...

Hi ,

This is Johann from Melbourne Australia.

I have a blog site up for Strength Coaching focusing on Rugby Strength Training amongst many things. Would you be interested in running one of my articles on your site or having a link to my site from the Rugby Blog. An example article could be -

http://www.strengthtrainingchronicles.com/2009/09/as-tri-nations-2009-draws-to-end.html

I also have a free ebook on offer for rugby strength training.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Johann

Unknown said...

Hi, BigDai. I have been following your blog for some time now and I must say that it's nice to read some insights from a rugby referee's perspective. My husband and I are huge rugby fans. In fact, our family bonding moments involve watching rugby games together with our kids. Hubby's local rugby league club hopes to win more games, so they have already begun practicing and preparing for the next season.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. Keep posting!