Rugby term
Referee
Definition
The match official in charge of the match.
Together with the other appointed match officials, the referee is the sole judge of fact and of law during a match.
Related laws
Related terms
CaptainThe captain is the player who leads a team on the field, takes part in the coin toss and makes choices for the team, such as which sanction to take.Kick-offA kick-off is the drop kick from the centre of the halfway line that starts each half of a match and restarts play after a score.SanctionA punishment for an infringement, typically a penalty kick, free-kick, or scrum.Forward PassA forward pass is when a player throws or passes the ball towards the opponents' dead-ball line, and the laws call it a throw forward.TMO (Television Match Official)TMO stands for Television Match Official, an extra official who watches video replays to help the referee decide on tries, kicks at goal and foul play.Touch judgeA touch judge is one of the two officials on the touchlines who signal when the ball goes into touch and whether kicks at goal are successful.