ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

RFL match officials

RFL match officials are the grown-ups who make sure that rugby matches are played fairly and safely. Just like when you play a game with your friends, there are rules that everyone needs to follow. These officials make sure that all the players are playing by the rules and they also keep an eye on the game to make sure no one gets hurt.

There are several different kinds of RFL match officials. The most important ones are the referee and the touch judges. The referee is like the boss of the game. They wear a different colored shirt and blow a whistle to start and stop the game. They also make decisions if someone breaks the rules, like when they unfairly tackle another player or they don't pass the ball properly.

The touch judges are like the referee's helpers. They stand on the sideline and make sure that the ball doesn't go out of bounds. They also help the referee make decisions by telling them if a player did something wrong, even if the referee didn't see it.

There are also other match officials called video referees. They sit in a special room and watch the game on a TV screen. They can see things that the referee and touch judges might miss. If there is a close call or a player did something wrong, the video referee can tell the referee to change their decision.

All these match officials work together to make sure that the game is fair for both teams. It's important to have them because without them, players might cheat or get hurt more easily. So next time you watch a rugby match, remember that there are adults watching to keep everything in order!