Super Rugby: Leading referee Angus Gardiner helps Waratahs pack prepare for new season

PREPARING for massive starts to their respective seasons, the Waratahs and leading Aussie referee Angus Gardiner joined forces to wrap their heads around 2018 law changes.

Referee Angus Gardiner watches over a Waratahs scrum session. Picture: Supplied

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PREPARING for massive starts to their respective seasons, the Waratahs and leading Aussie referee Angus Gardiner joined forces at training yesterday to wrap their heads around law changes for the upcoming year.

The Waratahs head to Queenstown on Thursday to play the Highlanders in their opening trial and finished preparations with Gardiner giving valuable officiating at their training session.

Gardiner oversaw a series of live scrummages and also gave a presentation to the team about several new law changes that could trip teams up early in Super Rugby.

The captain of the Waratahs’ trial team, Damien Fitzpatrick, said Gardiner’s input was valuable but the referee no doubt also got a timely tune-up, too, ahead of arguably the biggest refereeing appointment of his career in a few months.

Referee Angus Gardiner watches over a Waratahs scrum session. Picture: Supplied

Thought it slipped largely under the radar when announced last month, Gardiner will handle the blockbuster clash between England and Ireland at Twickenham in March.

It is likely the last-round clash will be the Six Nations decider, which shows how high Gardiner now sits in the world refereeing ranks.

“It is fantastic. You obviously don’t get the refs along every week but there is a small window where you can invite some refs in, to make sure what you are practising is actually legal,” Fitzpatrick said.

“In the dark world of scrummaging the laws change so frequently. This year there have been some laws brought in, which Gus relayed to the group.

“It was important for him to go out and have a look at our scrummaging session to make sure we are on the right track, to make sure we play the game legally. Gus did a big presentation and had a bunch of clips on the new laws.”

Many changes are “intricate” but one that could trip players up is no longer can players stand with one foot over the sideline to catch a ball and win the lineout throw. They’d be the one ruled to have taken into touch.

The Waratahs will head to Queenstown keen to start their season strongly against a Kiwi team, given the trans-Tasman struggles of all Australian teams last year.

With most Wallabies players rested, Fitzpatrick said the players who had been slogging it out all summer were keen to hit the park and press their claims for Super Rugby selection.

“This time of year can’t roll around quick enough after we did eight weeks of pre-season and we also did a block before October. So guys are ready to see some different jerseys at training and something different to hit, which will be good,” he said.

“We did a lot of work to try and really learn from what happened last year — not dwell on it — and I feel the guys have trained, the focus and preparation we have done, you can see out here there is a different mentality, a different purpose and understanding.”

Originally published as Super Rugby: Leading referee Angus Gardiner helps Waratahs pack prepare for new season