NAME

#

TEAM

CODE

Q

OFFENCE

SUSPENDED

New this week – none

Previous weeks – none

HOME TEAM

REPORT

NEXT HOME GAME

New this week

Leicester Longhorns

NFL hash marks, no team areas, no nine yard marks.

Pete Thom #200

22/11/15 v Lincoln Colonials

Bath Spa Bulldogs

Field markings of poor quality, with all solid lines not straight. Endzones at the minimum 7 yard depth. Inbound hash marks at NFL width - game was played by estimating correct lateral limits. All hash marks were unequal in spacing. No 9 yard marks. No team areas. Chainset was broken before the game with no way to attach the chain to one of the stakes. It was only because one official had some pliers that with a bit of creativity we were able to get them in a functioning state. The provided "changing room" was an empty classroom some way from the field. It was decided that we would instead use the visiting team changing room after they had vacated, but this could not be locked.

Steve Leonard #370

22/11/15 v Bristol Barracuda

Southampton Stags

Field was covered in an excess of rubber crumb, so much so that the lines had to be cleared so they could be seen. The goals are attached to a fence approximately 2 yards behind the end lines. Game was played in a great spirit by both teams.

David Knight #135

22/11/15 v Chichester Spitfires

Leeds Beckett Carnegie

80 yard field. Team areas are poorly marked, sidelines are hashed. Field markings are very feint and when the orange floodlights become necessary, hash marks are impossible to see.

Adrian Miller #124

15/11/15 v Sheffield Sabres

Bristol Barracuda

Game was moved on Saturday Afternoon/Evening to SGS College WISE with a 16:00 kick-off. Just prior to game, crew were informed that the venue staff had told Game Management the game had to finish by 18:30 and venue cleared by 19:00. so it was agreed that half time would be 10 minutes only. With 11:55 remaining in the 3rd Quarter, Game Management was informed that the venue staff had decided that they wanted to shut by 18:30 so Coaches and Referee agreed to go to running Game Clock for remainder of game. Game ended at 18:10.

Albert Lambert #461

29/11/15 v Bath Spa Bulldogs

UEL Titans

Hash marks not straight down the field but 1 yard apart. One end zone 2 yards bigger than the other yet with both head coaches agreement, we played the game as normal and not one way. There were no uprights on the goals, as soccer goals were used; both had good padding. Therefore no field goals were taken. Chain crew left at half time but adequate time before second half began to prepare new crew. Chains broke on 3 occasions.

John Griffin #598

06/12/15 v LSBU Spartans

Durham Saints

Changing room is quite a way from the field. Also, officials for another sport were given access to our changing room while we were officiating.

Dan Holt #371

29/11/15 v Stirling Clansmen

Greenwich Mariners

Played at Southwood site of Avery Hill campus. Well marked 100 yard field only missing 3-yard marks. 10 minute delay to KO caused by issues around similar shirt colours. Crew returned to changing rooms at the end of the game to find they had been locked at 1pm. Fortunately game day management were able to locate site security to get the changing rooms unlocked.

Tim Ockendon #481

22/11/15 v UEL Titans

Cardiff Cobras

Game was switched to Filton Wise (UWE's usual venue) as Cardiff's field was waterlogged. Team areas were marked out to the 35 yard lines - these were extended to the 25 yard lines using cones. Other than this, the field was well marked out.

Amir Brooks #593

15/11/15 v Exeter Demons

Staffordshire Stallions

The field was narrow, estimated to be 135', only one set of goal-posts.

Richard Whitby #136

22/11/15 v Nottingham Outlaws

Outstanding items from previous weeks

Westminster Dragons

The crew was not notified of a change of venue. Four of the 5 crew arrived at the venue in good time to find that nobody was there. We contacted Operations and were able to discover the actual venue, East London Rugby Club, which is the likely future location of Westminster's home games. The Referee was being forced to travel to the game by rail replacement bus. He was unable to travel to the new venue in any kind of reasonable time, and the game was officiated by a crew of 4. The game kicked off an hour late after the crew made their way to the new venue. The field currently in use at East London RFC is not either of the three rugby pitches. (Crews should still change in the rugby club changing area.) It is a re-purposed soccer field located behind the five-a-side cage. It is 80 yards with soccer goalposts, which were appropriately padded. It was marked on the morning of the game to a creditably high standard. No team areas, and one sideline was slightly uneven. One of the end zones was considerably larger than the other, although both were of legal size. Both head coaches agreed to play all downs in the direction of the larger end zone and to play without field goals. The home team provided only two footballs. Chain crew extremely slow. The Westminster head coach told us that the team will be significantly revising its game management procedures before its next home game.

Alan Dobson #308

24/01/16 v LSBU Spartans

Northumbria Mustangs

NFL style hash marks, game delayed for 25 minutes with 33 seconds remaining in the game due to the floodlights going off.

Liam Wooton #478

15/11/15 v Lancaster Bombers

Stirling Clansmen

Home team was asked to control behaviour of some spectators that were directing abusive comments towards players of opposing team. After speaking to Home team this matter was taken care of and there were no further issues. Flood lights were used and one corner of the field, mainly in the corner of the end zone was a bit dim.

Shawn Sombati #15

15/11/15 v Durham Saints

UCLan Rams

90 yard field which was well marked, no coaches or players boxes marked but both teams were very well disciplined on their respective sidelines

Lee Taylor #183

29/11/15 v Sheffield Sabres

Sussex Saxons

Game Kicked Off 20 minutes late because the medical cover did not arrive on time. Early in the 3^rd quarter Kent complained that a Sussex player was not approved prior to the game because he turned up after the KO. This was Sussex #42, the player was on the roster supplied to the officials prior to the game. Information for future crews - do not follow the post code information on your sat nav - it will take you to the incorrect place (farm in the middle of nowhere) once you turn off of the motorway continue straight and you will enter the university grounds

David Knight #135

15/11/15 v Cambridge Pythons

Teeside Cougars

On arrival the 80 yard field had to be reduced by 10 yards as one endzone was too close to the perimeter fence. The red markings were a bit wonky in places and the the infield hash marks were not always 1 yard apart. There were no goal posts at either end and the following lines were missing: 3 yard marks, 9 yard marks, team or coaching areas which were marked out with cones prior to KO. The changing room allocated to the officials was the excess exercise machine room which was big enough for 4 officials and chairs were provided, however there were no private showers of coat hooks. Other crews please note that this “new” venue may or may not be used for Teesside future games, it will be advisable to contact the team prior to check.

Chris Jarvis #10

22/11/15 v Heriot Watt

NTU Renegades

Field was marked as metres. Game management state that it will be rectified by next home game.

Brian Yates #29

29/11/15 v Worcester Royals

PLAY OF THE WEEK:

New this week

Play: A's ball, 1st and 10, on A's 35. B56 pushes A67 in the back on A's 33 when he is attempting to reach runner A34 on a sweep. B56 tackles A34 on A's 36.
Ruling?

Last week

Play: A's ball, 4th and goal, on B's 18. The score is A14-B20. QB A12 throws a legal forward pass to airborne A88 who, while still airborne, bats the ball forward toward B's goal line. A84 catches the ball on B's 3 and crosses B's goal line with the ball.

Ruling: A's ball, try, on B's 3. Touchdown. The score is A20-B20. A player eligible to touch a legal forward pass may bat the legal forward pass in flight. Legal play.

MECHANICS:

New this week

Game Situation: Generally, a ball should be spotted either 'nose on', 'tail on' or equidistant between two yard lines. In what situation should the ball be spotted with greater accuracy?
Answer next issue...

Last week

Play: Name 4 game situations in which it is reasonable for none of the officials on the crew to be looking at the position of the ball. Note that these are all stated in one location in the Mechanics Manual.
Answer: M-5-4-4. 1) The ball while it is in the air (other than a glance to ascertain its direction if it may be coming towards you). 2) The ball after a pass is incomplete. 3) The ball at the succeeding spot until the snapper is about to touch it (Exception: if the wind is strong enough to move the ball). 4) The ball after a field goal is scored or missed. I'm sure there are plenty of other potential answers to this questions. A point to ponder: the ball will never commit a foul.

Date

Event

Contact for details

2015

November 14^th (Sat)

BAFRA Board Meeting

secretary@bafra.org

November 21^st (Sat)

Opal Series Round 3

December 5^th (Sat)

Opal Series Final

February 16^th (Sat)

BAFRA Board Meeting

secretary@bafra.org

April 2^nd and 3^rd

BAFRA Annual Convention

president@bafra.org

May 7^th (Sat)

BAFRA Board Meeting

secretary@bafra.org

July 23^rd (Sat)

BAFRA Board Meeting

secretary@bafra.org

19^th November (Sat)

BAFRA Board Meeting

secretary@bafra.org

BAFRA Directors

President

David Parsons

president@bafra.org

General Secretary

Paul Sutton

secretary@bafra.org

Finance

Chalies Dean Young

finance@bafra.org

Operations

Richard Vernon

operations@bafra.org

Recruitment

Kevin Stanton

recruitment@bafra.org

Training

Pete Thom

training@bafra.org

Director without Portfolio #1

Martin Cockerill

dwp1@bafra.org

Director without Portfolio #2

Steve Tonkinson

dwp2@bafra.org

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.org.

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