Types and roles of rugby officials

25 min

The sole judge of fact and of law

In rugby the referee is, in the words of Law 6, "the sole judge of fact and of law during a match". The assistant referees, the television match official (TMO) and the timekeeper may advise, but the decision is the referee's. Rugby referees also talk to players constantly, warning them before an offence happens, which is why the game can stay fast despite its many contests for the ball. This lesson describes the match officials under Law 6 of the World Rugby Laws of the Game 2026, the role of the TMO (made full law on 1 July 2026), the official signals, and the first-aid duties that every rugby official shares.

Definition

Referee: the official in charge on the pitch, who keeps time and score unless a timekeeper is appointed.

Assistant referee (AR): a trained official on each touchline who signals touch, kicks at goal and, where authorised, foul play. Where no ARs are appointed, touch judges (often team members) signal only touch and kicks at goal.

Television match official (TMO): an official who uses video to clarify defined situations.

Sin-bin: the 10-minute suspension that follows a yellow card.

Head injury assessment (HIA): the off-field check of a player with a possible head injury in elite rugby; the referee signals it by touching the head.

The officials and their duties

Official	Duties (Law 6)
Referee: before the match	Organises the coin toss (the winner chooses to kick off or to choose an end); with the other officials, inspects players' clothing and studs
Referee: during the match	Sole judge of fact and law; keeps time and score (unless a timekeeper ends each half); controls who enters and leaves the playing area; blows the whistle to start and end each half, stop play, award scores, scrums, penalties and free-kicks, and caution or send off; may stop play at any time for danger or serious injury
Referee: after the match	Gives the score to the teams and the match organiser; sends a written report on any player sent off
Assistant referees or touch judges	One on each touchline. Raise the flag when the ball or ball-carrier goes into touch, stand at the mark and point to the team to throw in. At kicks at goal, one stands behind each post and raises the flag for a goal. ARs may also signal foul play by holding the flag horizontally, pointing infield
TMO	Reviews the grounding of the ball in in-goal; touch or touch-in-goal when scoring; whether a kick at goal succeeded; infringements in the build-up to a try or that prevented one; foul play and its sanction. Any match official may recommend a review
Timekeeper (if appointed)	Stops and starts the clock on the referee's signal and signals the end of each half

Signals

Group	Signals (from the official list)
Secondary signals: scrum	Forward pass: hands imitate passing an imaginary ball forward. Knock-on: arm above the head, open hand moving backwards and forwards. Lineout throw not straight: hand above the head shows the crooked path
Secondary signals: penalty	Not releasing in the tackle: both hands close to the chest as if holding a ball. Tackler not releasing: arms close as if grasping, then open. Not rolling away: circular movement of the arm away from the body. Joining a ruck or maul from the side: arm held horizontally, moving sideways
Other	No try: arms crossed then uncrossed. Bleeding wound: arms crossed above the head (temporary replacement). Doctor needed: both arms raised. Head injury assessment: arm flexes to touch the head. Time off: arms form a T. Referring to the TMO: index fingers draw a rectangle (a screen)
Assistant referees	Kick at goal successful: flag raised. Touch: flag raised, then stand at the mark and point to the team to throw. Foul play: flag held horizontally, pointing infield at right angles to the touchline

Worked example

Worked example 1: a try under review. A winger dives for the corner. The referee could not see whether the ball was grounded before the winger's foot touched the touchline.

The referee draws a rectangle with both index fingers: a TMO review.
Two questions fall within the TMO's role: the grounding in in-goal, and touch in the act of scoring.
The replay shows the ball grounded on the try line while the foot is still in the air: try, 5 points. Had the foot touched the touchline first, the ball would have been in touch: lineout to the defending team.
The referee, not the TMO, gives the final decision and the signal: back to the dead-ball line, arm raised vertically.

Worked example

Worked example 2: staffing a school sevens tournament. A school has four trained referees for six games on one pitch.

Each game needs a referee and two people on the touchlines. Without trained ARs, team members act as touch judges: they signal touch and kicks at goal, but not foul play.
Rotate the four referees so that each has a game off between games; sevens halves are only 7 minutes, but the running is constant.
Appoint a first-aider and a timekeeper for the whole tournament, keep an ambulance number (912) and the way out for a vehicle clear, and agree before kick-off who decides that an injured player may not continue.

Video: "Nigel Owens' Guide to Rugby Referee Signals", MediaWalesVideo. Nigel Owens refereed the 2015 Rugby World Cup final; copy each signal with him.

Warning

Head and neck injuries: what every official must do (ERC Guidelines 2025)

Suspected concussion (confusion, headache, dizziness, nausea, blurred vision, sleepiness, any loss of responsiveness): recognise, remove, refer. The player leaves the field and does not play again until a health professional has assessed the injury. Outside elite rugby there is no off-field assessment that lets the player go back on: when in doubt, sit them out.
Possible neck injury after a collapsed scrum, a tackle or a fall: stop play at once. If the player is awake, ask him or her not to move the neck and keep it in a comfortable, stable position; never force a movement and do not fit a neck collar unless specially trained. If the player is unresponsive and lying on the back, kneel behind the head and hold it steady (head squeeze), and open the airway with a jaw thrust if needed. Call 912. If the player is not breathing normally, start CPR.
Bleeding: the player leaves (signal: arms crossed above the head) and may be temporarily replaced; press firmly on the wound until the bleeding stops.

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Practice

Who organises the coin toss, and what does the winner choose?
Give three duties of an assistant referee.
List the situations a TMO may review.
Describe the signals for a penalty, a free-kick and a scrum.
What is the difference between an assistant referee and a touch judge?
An assistant referee holds the flag horizontally, pointing infield. What does it mean, and what does the referee do?
After a high tackle a player is slow to get up and asks what the score is. What should the referee and the coach do?
Evaluate the statement: "With a TMO the referee no longer needs to decide anything."

Show answersHide answers

The referee; the winner chooses to kick off or to choose an end.
Any three: signal touch and the team to throw in; signal kicks at goal from behind the posts; signal foul play (where authorised); help with time and the referee's other directions.
Grounding in in-goal; touch or touch-in-goal when scoring; a disputed kick at goal; infringements leading to or preventing a try; foul play and its sanction.
Penalty: arm angled up towards the non-offending team. Free-kick: arm bent square at the elbow, upper arm towards the non-offending team. Scrum: arm horizontal towards the team that throws in.
An assistant referee is a trained official appointed by the match organiser who may also signal foul play; a touch judge (often a team member) signals only touch and kicks at goal.
Foul play has been seen; the AR stays in touch until the next stoppage, then reports it, and the referee decides the sanction.
Confusion after a head knock suggests concussion: the player must be removed, must not return to the game and must be seen by a health professional (recognise, remove, refer).
False. The TMO only clarifies defined situations and advises; the referee remains the sole judge of fact and law, makes every decision and must still manage the game, the players and safety.

Remember

Referee: sole judge of fact and law; time and score; toss; clothing and studs check.
ARs/touch judges: touch, kicks at goal; ARs may report foul play (flag horizontal).
TMO: grounding, touch when scoring, kicks at goal, build-up to a try, foul play; the referee decides.
Signals: try = arm up; penalty = arm angled up; free-kick = arm bent square; scrum = arm level; advantage = arm out waist-high.
Head knock: recognise, remove, refer. Neck: keep still, call 912.

1The sole judge of fact and of law

2The officials and their duties

3Signals

The sole judge of fact and of law

The officials and their duties

Signals