So, 2 years ago i did my BRC. After 2 years of doing mainly youth and some OA games I'd become a bit bored (either the football is unchallenging or the awful language in OA makes me want to move to a desert island). While watching the rugby world cup last autumn i thought i would look into what is required for being a rugby ref.
The course is £50 and done over 2 Sundays like the BRC. HOWEVER, before you even get as far as attending you must complete 3 online assessments: rugby ready (general awareness of the game's ethos) ), the IRB Laws exam covering all 22 laws plus variations and then a concussion awareness assessment. As far as challenge goes this is much tougher than the BRC.
On the course there are 23 people from age 14 to 50+. At 32 I'm in the middle which is contrast to my BRC where i was 1 of only 2 people out of 24 over the age of 20. The rest were school or academy kids doing it for their GCSE'S etc.
There are 4 tutors: head tutor is on the RFU laws panel and mentors to Wayne Barnes (rugby world cup ref), 3 others reffing to professional standard including lady who was at world 7s and women's world cup. My BRC was a level 4 ref and a retired ref/assessor who swore a lot!
In the course we have one of the tutors assigned to us who is constantly assessing our knowledge and enthusiasm through the theory discussion and practical sessions. My memory of the BRC is "this is the question and this is the answer".
Has the BRC moved on yet? Would this kind of precourse requirement scare off most of the kids who seem to go through the course and then ref with little enthusiasm? Why aren't the experienced referees being retained to train the new ones? I think the FA has a lot to learn.
The course is £50 and done over 2 Sundays like the BRC. HOWEVER, before you even get as far as attending you must complete 3 online assessments: rugby ready (general awareness of the game's ethos) ), the IRB Laws exam covering all 22 laws plus variations and then a concussion awareness assessment. As far as challenge goes this is much tougher than the BRC.
On the course there are 23 people from age 14 to 50+. At 32 I'm in the middle which is contrast to my BRC where i was 1 of only 2 people out of 24 over the age of 20. The rest were school or academy kids doing it for their GCSE'S etc.
There are 4 tutors: head tutor is on the RFU laws panel and mentors to Wayne Barnes (rugby world cup ref), 3 others reffing to professional standard including lady who was at world 7s and women's world cup. My BRC was a level 4 ref and a retired ref/assessor who swore a lot!
In the course we have one of the tutors assigned to us who is constantly assessing our knowledge and enthusiasm through the theory discussion and practical sessions. My memory of the BRC is "this is the question and this is the answer".
Has the BRC moved on yet? Would this kind of precourse requirement scare off most of the kids who seem to go through the course and then ref with little enthusiasm? Why aren't the experienced referees being retained to train the new ones? I think the FA has a lot to learn.