Referees meeting in Namibia – The Namibia Rugby Referee Society hosted their annual match official workshop this month. The workshop are held annually to discuss trends in World Rugby, introduction of new laws, fitness tests as well as law exams. Since it is high level discussions of the applications of the law, they only invite registered referees from the previous year. This year a total of 21 referees (we had 35 registered referees for 2016, which give a 60% attendance) attended the workshop which started on Friday, 10 February 2017, and ended on Sunday, 12 February 2017. The workshop was held in Okahandja, 70 km north of Windhoek, at the Okahandja Country Hotel. 

It started on Friday with the fitness test, yo-yo test, at the Okahandja Primary school, where after the group moved to the Okahandja Country Hotel. On Sunday they concluded the workshop with the law exam. Like in the past they again wrote the South Africa Referee Society’s national law exam. The referees generally did well, but there is room for improvement.

This year it was decided to reach out to the local schools to introduce what it takes to become a match official and as well to discuss the application of the laws. 

Throughout the weekend various team building activities were organized to ensure the referees make an effort to work together and learn more about their peers. This will ensure that they trust each other, which is important during a match. If they can become a close family it will help with the handling of matches. Activities included volley ball (at times in the rain), cricket, team building challenges, creation of unique team songs, creation of unique team names as well as dress up according to the team name.

Credit to NRU