NAME

#

TEAM

CODE

Q

OFFENCE

SUSPENDED

New this week

William Drysdale

87

Dunfermline Kings

TGT

4

After an opponent was tackled and down, #87 dived at the downed player and made helmet to helmet contact.

Unknown

Tom Harvey

66

Derby Braves

FGT

3

Player threw a punch at an opponent which landed on his facecage.

11/12/16 v Durham Saints

Previous weeks

Liam Hulse

40

LJM Fury

TGT

2

After an interception, the player delivered a blind-side block by launching upwards and forcibly into the head of a member of the passing team who was trailing the returner and did not see this block coming, nor was he in a position to protect himself.

11/12/16 v Warwick Wolves

HOME TEAM

REPORT

NEXT HOME GAME

New this week

Stirling Clansmen

Game was suspended for 20mins due injury. Blue lines were very faint.

Shawn Sombati #15

11/12/16 v NTU Renegades

Bournemouth Bobcats

Inbounds lines position (from sideline) were < 60ft. Both teams wore dark blue Jerseys. Bournemouth did not have enough of the alternate jersey (around 20)

Sean Welsh #458

11/12/16 v OBU Panthers

Derby Braves

Team areas marked with cones. Only one goal so all drives were toward one end

Brian Yates #29

12/02/17 v Durham Saints

KCL Regents

Pitch had been marked too close to a pair of 5-a-side soccer pitches. Initially game management said that the pitches would not be in use past 11.45am (12pm KO) but this did not prove to be the case, so KO was delayed. Game management were then informed that one of the pitches would cease to be in use from 1.10pm so a temporary solution was devised with the home team area reduced in size to keep them away from the pitch that was still in use. Just prior to KO another game started on the pitch that was supposedly not in use, delaying the earliest safe kickoff to 2.30pm. As available light and medical cover would not allow the completion of the fixture with this KO time, after consultation with both coaches it was agreed that the officials would leave the venue and a scrimmage under the supervision of coaches would take place.

Tim Ockendon #481

29/01/17 v BNU Buccaneers

Liverpool Raptors

With 1.30 left in the 3rd quarter, Chester decided they could not continue following an injury to one of their players due to the risk of further injury to other players. No team areas marked.

Stuart Alger #179

12/02/17 v Leeds Gryphons

Gloucester Gladiators

With 3:41 left in the first quarter, the game was suspended to allow medical personnel to treat an injured player. It turned out to be a broken leg and an ambulance was called. just within an hour afterwards a paramedic arrived who confirmed diagnosis and requested a NHS ambulance to convey said player to hospital. The ambulance finally arrived at 15:00 but with the player still on the field and medical personnel not prepared to move the player, with insufficient light left in the day to complete a reasonable length of 3 quarters of play and with both head coaches in agreement, the game was abandoned.

Colin Edwards #76

Unknown

Huddersfield Hawks

No limit lines, 3 yard marks, 9 yard marks or numbers. Coaching areas and player boxes were missing but we were able to accommodate these using lines from other sports markings. This was an 80 yard field with no posts so this was a no post game. With approx 3 minutes 10 seconds left in the 4^th quarter the game was suspended for 10 minutes due to floodlight failure.

David Hewitt #607

29/01/17 v Northampton Nemesis

Edinburgh Predators

No limit line, team box or coaching box marked. No mark for PATs. Edinburgh have about 6 team jerseys which have numbers on the front which are too small by rule, they intend to have these rectified before their next game.

Henry Richardson #25

05/02/17 v Edinburgh Knights

Warwick Wolves

Originally booked medical cover was inadequate so kick off was delayed by 40 minutes for a replacement to arrive.

Euan Paterson #165

11/12/16 v LJM Fury

Sunderland Spartans

Game played at Druid Park, Abandoned with 10:16 remaining in the 4th quarter, due to lack of lighting/visibility, floodlights were used, but they didn't provide adequate lighting to the field.

Liam Wooton 478

12/02/17 v Newcastle Raiders

Sussex Saxons

No limit lines marked - clash of other field markings also in white - field markings difficult to see on occasions - grass a little long. Changing room too small for 4 people.

12/02/17 v Brighton Tsunami

Kingston Cougars

No coaching box, team area or limit lines. One stake required repair after a player collided with it.

Peter Parsons #321

12/02/17 v Hertfordshire Hurricanes

ARU Rhinos

With 07.35 remaining in the 3rd quarter the game was suspended due to a player injury. Upon assessment by the medical cover an ambulance was required and the player could not be moved from the field. After 30 minutes of waiting the ambulance had still not arrived and sunset was approaching. In agreement with both coaches at this point the game was suspended due to failing light.

Lee Wood #517

05/02/17 v Greenwich Mariners

UCL Rams

No team areas, field markings in yellow. Otherwise a very well marked field.

Stuart Alger #179

11/12/16 v Sheffield Sabres

Outstanding items from previous weeks

Coventry Uni Jets

No coaching boxes marked, used rugby lines instead. 80 yard field marked in red. Ball boy disappeared during the game and didn't return, chain crew covered in his place

Richard Whitby #136

11/12/16 v Lincoln Colonials

Leicester Longhorns

No team areas marked. Game suspended for 11\4 hours with 9 minutes left in 3^rd quarter due to serious neck injury sustained by a DMU player necessitating air ambulance. Game reduced to ten minute quarters.

Brian Yates #29

12/02/17 v Coventry Jets

Chichester Spitfires

Crew was greeted by game management who stated that the medical cover would only be available until 15:15. Game management then found a registered physio from the opponents who was prepared to take over responsibility once the medical cover left. Although this did happen at the 2 minute warning, the original medical cover was still at the venue when the game ended. Field was blue markings on a 90 yard field with 7 yard endzones. Chain crew were slow but were sorted by game management. Crew wishes to stated that game management dealt extremely well with lots of difficult situations and should be applauded. No team areas marked, no limit lines.

David Knight #135

29/01/17 v Southampton Stags

NTU Renegades

During the run back at the start of the 2^nd half, Referee collided with a photographer in the restricted area. The photographer was not aligned to either team. Game Management removed the photographer from the restricted area.

Andrew Lovell #559

29/01/17 v Stirling Clansmen

QMUL Vipers

Well marked 90-yard field in blue with other sport markings in white. No limit lines or numbers but marks at 9-yard depth. No team areas, although another sport line approximated as a team area line. Goal at one end of the field was judged too close to a main road with inadequate fencing protection, so all offensive plays were played toward the opposite goal.

Tim Ockendon #481

19/02/17 v Essex Blades

Bath Spa Bulldogs

Field markings were not at their best. We had an 80 yard field but end zones between 10 and 15 yards deep with, at one end, goal posts a further three yards behind the end line. May other line markings were short and crooked, however there was nothing that needed to halt or cancel the game which was a fairly played and competitive contest.

Francis Bevan #474

29/01/17 v Plymouth Blitz

Southampton Stags

No limit lines, the plane of the goal posts is beyond the end line. One ball person changed during the first half.

Peter Parsons #321

12/02/17 v Brunel Burners

Sheffield Sabres

80 yard field, no limit lines, no team areas. Kick off delayed for around 15 minutes as medical cover hadn't arrived. In the end we used a suitably qualified person that was there as a spectator (from Hallam University) until the medic that had been booked finally arrived (at the end of the first quarter). It transpires that no one had informed the medical cover that kick off had been moved from 13:00 to 12:00.

Daniel Holt #371

29/01/17 v UCL Rams

UWS Pyros

Although an ambulance was booked it did not arrive on time, and a replacement had to be organised. Although this was expected to delay the game for 1 hour both coaches agreed to go ahead with the game. Unfortunately a few minutes before the ambulance was due to arrive a car crash occurred on the main road outside the venue, which closed the road to all incoming traffic. The game was, therefore, abandoned.

Ian Sneddon #427

05/02/17 v Heriot-Watt

City Sentinels

The game was played in the East London Rugby Club and there were multiple problems. 1^st the changing room is very small, suitable for at most 3 officials. 2^nd the chain set was not good, as one of the chain ends was just 1 metre tall. 3^rd was with the field, it was full of leaves and the field markings were dark blue, which were not really visible. Apart from these we had a nice muddy football match.

Viktor Janvari #63

05/02/17 v UCL Emperors

Leeds Carnegie

This is a 80yd field where the yard lines are 12" short of the side line. There are no team or coaches areas marked, these were marked out with low safety cones prior to KO.

Chris Jarvis #10

11/12/16 v Manchester Tyrants

Bangor Muddogs

Upon arrival it was found that an area of the field from the 10 yard line to the goalline in one corner was extremely waterlogged. Despite the efforts of the groundstaff and buckets of sand this area was declared unsafe. To allow the game to proceed, after consulting both coaches, the game was played as a 1 post game with the offences driving away from the area. The rest of the field, although squidgy in places, remained playable for the duration of the game.

John Roberts #145

05/02/17 v Liverpool Raptors

Bradford Bears

Kick off was delayed for 25 mins due to 11 Bradford players not appearing on the BUCS webpage of registered players. This meant players had to verify their registration with the Keele coaching staff by showing email confirmations on their mobile phones. No limit lines,9 yard marks or 3 yard marks. The in field hash marks were marked with blue aerosol and had pretty much disappeared by halftime. The game balls supplied by the home team were of poor quality and soft so keele kindly let us use 3 of their game balls.

David Hewitt #607

11/12/16 v Chester Legion

Durham Saints

On arrival, field was marked as 100 yards but with posts roughly 3 yards inside endzones. Agreed with both coaches to shorten the field to 90 yards and use 5-yard lines as the goal lines and roughly 8-yard endzones. Durham expect this to be rectified "at some point". Balls presented to officials about 10 minutes prior to kick off and were significantly under legal pressure. Line judge had pump and gauge but due to distance to changing rooms this adjustment led to a 10 minute delay in kick off. Second half delayed by 5 minutes due to medical cover leaving the playing area during half-time and being slow to return. No team/coach areas marked.

Stuart Young #33

11/12/16 v Derby Braves

Greenwich Mariners

Played at Orpington RFC. 90-yard field with 9-yard end zones and main lines every 10 yards. No coaching lines, limit lines, numbers or 9-yard marks. inbounds lines only marked on a quarter of the pitch and at incorrect depth so were ignored. KO delayed by 15 minutes due to problems sourcing officials assistants, clearing field of dog excrement and attempts to source an alternative home kit that clashed less with the opponents' kit.

Tim Ockendon #481

11/12/16 v UEL Titans

Royal Holloway Bears

The lines were painted yellow and were very indistinct. When looking towards the end the sun was shining from it was almost impossible to see the lines

Keith Wickham #423

11/12/16 v Kent Falcons

UWE Bullets

Team areas marked between the 35 yard lines with a coaching line but no players' box line. The UWE students union advised that kickoff was scheduled for 1200, but both teams were under the impression that kickoff was at 1300, and arrived on that basis. At about 1250 the crew was advised that the medical cover booked to attend was stuck in traffic related to a Remembrance day event, it's expected ETA was 1400 and the home team were attempting to source medical cover from other sources. At 1330 the crew were advised that the originally scheduled medical cover would not be attending as they had returned to their base and attempts to source alternative cover were not successful, at which point the game was abandoned.

Peter Parsons #321

11/12/16 v Exeter Demons

Edge Hill Vikings

Field was well marked, although the hash marks were joined together either side by solid lines running the length of the field. No team or coach areas marked. Prior to the start of the game, the pylons were deemed unsafe as they were effectively a bit of foam attached to the end of a spike. The game was played without pylons.

John Roberts #145

04/12/16 v Keele Crusaders

Newcastle Raiders

90 yard field, no limit lines, one of the stakes was missing the top section.

Daniel Holt #371

11/12/16 v Sunderland Spartans

Chester Legion

There were no changing rooms (nor toilet facilities) of any description available at the game site. Apparently the University had made a changing room available, but this was a 20 minute drive away. The visiting team had therefore dressed prior to travel. A Sunday league soccer match was taking place near-by and the home team for this match allowed us to briefly use their hut so that the officials could dress, but this was locked as soon as we had dressed and no further access was possible. A note to future crews; I’d advise travelling to the game site already dressed. No 9 nine yard marks or numbers, but there were Rugby Union markings in blue at approximately the correct position. The team areas were marked but the coaching line was at approximately 10 feet with the second line at approximately 20 feet. The home team stated that they would initially be able to provide only one ball-person, however when they were reminded they two were required a second was eventually provided 10 minutes prior to kick-off.

Ben Griffiths #228

29/01/17 v Bangor Muddogs

UCL Emporers

Excellent facility but as it is Watford FC training facility you cannot gain access to changing room until 1pm. Game kicked off at 1:40 so, as per rule, ran 10 minute quarters.

Brian Yates #29

11/12/16 v Chichester Spitfires

Brunel Burners

Home team game balls well below legal pressure so away team balls were used.

Pete Thom #200

11/12/16 v City Sentinels

Bath Killer Bees

The field is generally very well marked out (albeit in blue). However, the endlines (which are the rugby goal lines) had not been re-marked and were a rather faint white - this didn't present a problem on the day but may do in the future. The team areas were marked out much too far from the sidelines, so new team areas were marked out in cones. Plaudits must go to the two teams, who played a well-contested good-natured game with no major penalties. The official's assistants were also very good.

Amir Brooks #593

05/02/17 v Swansea Titans

Teeside Cougars

No Posts at either end and field markings were not straight.

David Parsons #425

29/01/1 v York Centurians

MMU Eagles

90 yard field marked in blue with rugby markings in white. Extra point marks at 9 yard line. No coach or team areas marked. Officials' changing room was barely big enough for 2, so pre-game was held in the bar.

Tony Newsham #302

29/01/17 v Leicester Longhorns

Lincoln Colonials

Goals were soccer goals with extended uprights. Field markings faint. No team areas marked. Changing room was cramped, dirty and full of old lost property

Brian Yates #29

05/02/17 v DMU Falcons

Heriot-Watt

No team box or coaching boxes marked. No limit line.

Henry Richardson #25

11/12/16 v Teesside Cougars

Kent Falcons

90-yard field marked in red with other sport markings in white, yellow and blue. No limit lines, numbers or 9-yard marks. Team areas marked with cones. Inbounds lines at incorrect depth.

Tim Ockendon #481

12/02/17 v Royal Holloway Bears

Hull Sharks

No limit lines, no pylons denoting hash marks, no 9 yard marks, irregular yard marks at the 5 yard to Goal Line at one end of the field.

Chris Jarvis #10

29/01/17 v Glasgow Tigers

Cardiff Cobras

Officials' changing room small. Bigger room was supposed to be available but overrunning soccer game meant it was not.

Jed Brookes-Lewis #395

05/02/17 v Exeter Demons

Northumbria Mustangs

No team box marked , no numbers, no limit line.

Henry Richardson #25

05/02/17 v Hull Sharks

LJM Fury

Team areas were not marked. Three changing rooms were provided, however the visiting team required the use of two changing rooms as they had both male and female players. The officials therefore had to “time-share” one of the changing rooms with the visiting team . The changing rooms were not lockable.

Ben Griffiths #228

29/01/17 v Warwick Wolves

PLAY OF THE WEEK:

New this week

Play: A's ball, 3rd and 10 on the B30. Time is starting to run out in the half and team A decide to go for a field goal. The attempted field goal is blocked by B90 before it crosses the line of scrimmage. The ball flies back towards midfield and goes out of bounds at team B's 40 yard line. There are 2 seconds left on the game clock. Ruling? Clock?
Ruling?

Last week

Play: 3rd and 10 at the Team A 40 yard line. Left guard A77 pulls off the line after the snap and turns 90 degrees to his right to face the sideline opposite him. He runs towards the sideline and the quarterback hands the ball forwards to him one yard behind the line of scrimmage. He turns upfield and runs to the Team A 48 yard line. Ruling?

Ruling: This is an illegal forwards pass since A77 did not face towards his own goal line and move 2 yards off the line of scrimmage before receiving the forwards pass. Penalty is 5 yards from the spot of the foul and loss of down. Team A's ball, 4th and 16 at the Team A 34 yard line. (7-1-6-b)

MECHANICS:

New this week

Game Situation: Which official has responsibility for ensuring that the game balls are made available before the game?
Answer next issue...

Last week

Play: 1st and 10, the ball is at the team A's 30 yard line. Quarterback A4 drops back into the pocket to look for an open receiver. He is pursued by Defensive End B90 and is about to throw a legal forward pass as B90 makes legal contact with him. During B90's subsequent tackle of A4, the ball comes out of the Quarterback's grasp. The Referee is well-positioned to see the action, but is not completely sure if A4 began to throw the pass as the ball came out. The ball lands behind A4 and a defender falls on it. No other official has a view on the action. Ruling?
Answer: Rule 2-19-2-b states that when a Team A player is holding the ball to pass it forward toward the neutral zone, any intentional forward movement of his hand or arm starts the forward pass – and further that a forward pass is ruled regardless of where the ball strikes the ground or a player. M-6-1-5 and 2-19-2-c both state that when in doubt, the passer has thrown the ball rather than fumbled it. In this case, this should be ruled an incomplete forward pass - 2nd and 10 at the A30. The Referee should do his best to sell this call well.

Date

Event

Contact for details

2017

February 18^th (Sat)

BAFRA Board Meeting

secretary@bafra.info

April 1^st & 2^nd (Sat / Sun)

BAFRA Convention Weekend

April 1^st (Sat)

BAFRA Limited AGM

May 6^th (Sat)

BAFRA Board Meeting

secretary@bafra.info

July 22^nd (Sat)

BAFRA Board Meeting

secretary@bafra.info

November 18^th (Sat)

BAFRA Board Meeting

secretary@bafra.info

BAFRA Directors

President

David Parsons

president@bafra.info

General Secretary

Paul Sutton

secretary@bafra.info

Finance

Charlie Dean Young

finance@bafra.info

Operations

Richard Vernon

operations@bafra.info

Recruitment

James Meredith

recruitment@bafra.info

Training

Pete Thom

training@bafra.info

Director without Portfolio #1

Peter Parsons

dwp1@bafra.info

Director without Portfolio #2

Steve Tonkinson

dwp2@bafra.info

The opinions expressed in this Newsflash are those of the contributors, and not necessarily of BAFRA or its Directors.

All Incident Reports to be submitted via www.bafra.info.

Deadline for articles submitted by email (newsflash@bafra.info) is midnight Tuesday.