Touch judge
Encyclopedia
The touch judge is an official who monitors the touch-line
in a game of rugby union
or rugby league
and raises a flag if the ball (or player carrying it) goes into touch
. Touch judges also stand behind the posts to confirm that a goal has been scored following a penalty kick or conversion of a try. There are two touch judges, one for each touch-line.
Depending on the relevant national regulations, Touch Judges can be recognised as 'Assistant Referees' and can have the authority to indicate foul play, support with pre-match protocols and other roles delegated to them by the referee.
In England, Touch Judges are only recognised as Assistant Referees when appointed by the RFU or by the relevant Referees' Society. Touch Judges in the vast majority of community matches do not act as Assistant Referees and cannot comment on matters of foul play or other technical matters.
In test matches, it is normal for the referee and Assistant Referees to be connected by a radio link to aid the communication of all this information.
At elite levels of the 'Sevens' variation of Rugby Union, additional in-goal Assistant Referees exist to support the referee with in-goal decisions.
, touch judges can communicate with the referee verbally or through a number of specific flag and hand signals. These indicate specific breaches of the laws, for example forward pass
, knock on and penalty
offences, how play should restart and whether the ball was grounded correctly for a try. As in rugby union, touch judges stand behind the posts to confirm success of a penalty kick or the conversion of a try. Touch judge and referee signals and duties in rugby league
are laid out in the laws of the game. In some matches, additional officials are used solely to determine whether a try has been correctly grounded. These are known as "in-goal" officials.
Touch-line
The touch line is the line on either side of the playing area of a games of rugby league, rugby union and association football . In many other sports it is called a side-line....
in a game of rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
or rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
and raises a flag if the ball (or player carrying it) goes into touch
Touch (rugby)
Touch is the area outside two touch-lines which define the sides of the playing area in a game of rugby football. As the touch-lines are not part of the playing area they are usually included as part of touch....
. Touch judges also stand behind the posts to confirm that a goal has been scored following a penalty kick or conversion of a try. There are two touch judges, one for each touch-line.
Rugby union
Rugby Union Touch Judges support the referee by marking 'touch' (identifying when the ball leaves the playing area and comes into contact with something there or when the player carrying the ball steps out of the playing area), indicating successful kicks at goal and marking offside lines at set piece plays (the scrum and line out).Depending on the relevant national regulations, Touch Judges can be recognised as 'Assistant Referees' and can have the authority to indicate foul play, support with pre-match protocols and other roles delegated to them by the referee.
In England, Touch Judges are only recognised as Assistant Referees when appointed by the RFU or by the relevant Referees' Society. Touch Judges in the vast majority of community matches do not act as Assistant Referees and cannot comment on matters of foul play or other technical matters.
In test matches, it is normal for the referee and Assistant Referees to be connected by a radio link to aid the communication of all this information.
At elite levels of the 'Sevens' variation of Rugby Union, additional in-goal Assistant Referees exist to support the referee with in-goal decisions.
Rugby league
In rugby leagueRugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
, touch judges can communicate with the referee verbally or through a number of specific flag and hand signals. These indicate specific breaches of the laws, for example forward pass
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
, knock on and penalty
Penalty (rugby)
In rugby football, the penalty is the main disciplinary sanction available to the referee to penalise players who commit deliberate infringements. The team who did not commit the infringement are given possession of the ball and may either kick it towards touch , attempt a place kick at goal, or...
offences, how play should restart and whether the ball was grounded correctly for a try. As in rugby union, touch judges stand behind the posts to confirm success of a penalty kick or the conversion of a try. Touch judge and referee signals and duties in rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
are laid out in the laws of the game. In some matches, additional officials are used solely to determine whether a try has been correctly grounded. These are known as "in-goal" officials.