Rugby referee talk and action on the field.

What is it about?

How referees in rugby union use talk and other action (e.g. whistle, body movement and positioning in space, gesture) in controlling professional matches, that is, “doing refereeing”.

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Why is it important?

Whether body contact between players is treated as antagonistic in rugby union matches is not simply an issue of how heavy the contact is. Heavy body contact can involve cooperation when, for example, one player tackles another. In such cases, the contact is governed by conventions which allow it to occur without injury to either player (though not necessarily without hurt!). Altercations can be quite gentle by comparison but they are proscribed by the laws of rugby union. My analysis of how professional rugby referees manage altercations between players during matches reveals how referees, assistant referees, captains and players all have different rights and responsibilities with respect to on-field decision-making, and how those rights and responsibilities reflect social power.