Whistle
A whistle is an item of equipment that must be carried by the referee during a game.[1] It is claimed, a whistle was first used during a match in 1884.[2]
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[edit] History
Originally, voices were used to control games.[3] It is claimed that William Atack was the "first sports referee in the world to use a whistle to stop a game", during a match in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1884.[2][3]
Atack, a 27-year-old sports journalist, found having to exercise his voice loudly when both sides were appealing during matches "exhausting".[3] Arthur Swan, a NZRU historian, relates: "Thinking it over one day while refereeing a rugby game, his fingers strayed into a waistcoat pocket where they encountered a dog whistle. The inspiration occurred to him that it would be a fine thing to use a whistle to stop the game. The next time he refereed, he called the teams together and they agreed to play to the whistle."[3]
Swan says that sports historians are not agreed from which point rugby football referees were officially allowed to use whistles, as Atack's use of the whistle took place away from the RFU in England, which controlled the sport's laws at that time.[3] However, G. Rowland Hill, Honorary Secretary of the RFU, stated in 1892 that the whistle was introduced in England during the 1885–86 season.[4]
The first RFU-sanctioned match in which one was used was a North versus South game at Bradford in 1885.[5] Flags were also used for the first time during this match.[5]
Hill wrote: "the wonderful success which has attended its introduction must cause those who had the experience of umpiring or refereeing prior to this time, to reflect how it was possible that they were able to carry on their work at all; the difficulty of letting players know when an appeal was granted, and the uncertainty as to the decision of the referee caused endless stoppages and confusion".[4] Hill claimed, "few things have done more to improve the game than the whistle system".[4] He said that it gave players "absolute security in stopping when they [heard] it.[4]
[edit] Current use
The whistle is blown to begin and end each half of a match, as well as temporarily stopping play.[1]
Referees will blow their whistle, in the following instances:
- "When a try or a goal has been scored"[1]
- "When the ball has gone out of play"[1]
- "When restarting play, other than at a scrum"[1]
- "When [they detect] a breach of the Laws of the Game, except when to stop the play would be to the disadvantage of the non-offending team"[1]
- "When play is irregularly affected by the ball, or the player carrying the ball, coming into contact with the referee, a touch judge, or with any person not taking part in the match or with any object which should not normally be on the playing field"[1]
- "When any irregularity, not provided for in [the] Laws, occurs and one team unjustifiably gains an advantage"[1]
- "When a stoppage is necessary in order to enforce the Laws or for any other reason"[1]
If play has been temporarily stopped by the referee to "administer a caution to a player or players", extra time will be indicated and will accumulate until the whistle is blown to restart play.[1]
[edit] Accidental use
If the whistle is accidentally blown by the referee, play must still stop.[1] Play will then be restarted with a scrum at the place on the field where the ball was last touched by a player.[1] The team to which that player belongs is given the loose head and put in at the scrum.[1]
[edit] References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 RLIF (2004). "The International Laws of the Game and Notes on the Laws". Rugby League International Federation. p. 43. Archived from the original on 2010-01-05. http://www.webcitation.org/5mYyri5Wv. Retrieved 2008-07-30.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Great Kiwi inventions". NewZealand.com. Tourism New Zealand. Archived from the original on 2012-01-08. http://www.webcitation.org/64Wi1Jg2q. Retrieved 2012-01-08.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Ball, Kevin (2010-03-10). "Final word on the whistle". Wairarapa Times-Age. Archived from the original on 2012-01-08. http://www.webcitation.org/64WgefSYZ. Retrieved 2012-01-08.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Hill, G. Rowland (1892). "VIII. Progress of the Rugby Football Union from season 1880-81 to the present time". In Francis Marshall. Football: The Rugby Union Game. Cassell & Company. p. 103. ISBN 978-1143915598. Archived from the original on 2012-02-02. http://www.webcitation.org/659tawkEU.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cail, William (1892). "XXI. County Football: Recollections of Northumberland football". In Francis Marshall. Football: The Rugby Union Game. Cassell & Company. p. 455. ISBN 978-1143915598. Archived from the original on 2012-02-02. http://www.webcitation.org/659tawkEU.
