Top tips for refereeing age grade rugby for 2026 season

Refereeing age-grade rugby is rarely straightforward, particularly when you are also the coach.

Dan Cottrell is joined by Advantage Over podcast host and laws expert Keith Lewis to explore how coaches with a whistle can create a safer, fairer and more enjoyable game. They discuss managing players, coaches and parents, applying the laws in context, finding the right position at the breakdown and knowing when to communicate or let the game flow.

A practical conversation for anyone refereeing rugby from tag through to the teenage years.

Five key takeaways

1. Help the game happen
   Use clear communication to guide players, but avoid turning every decision into a coaching intervention. 
2. Prepare for the age group
   Check the regulations before the game, particularly when moving between different age groups. 
3. Referee the situation, not a script
   Consistency means treating similar situations similarly. It does not mean applying exactly the same response to every tackle or breakdown. 
4. Get close enough to influence
   Good positioning helps you see the contest, communicate clearly and make better decisions. 
5. Prioritise safety at contact
   Be firm about tackle height, players staying on their feet and keeping heads out of dangerous spaces.

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