BokSmart for top SA refs
Test referees Jonathan Kaplan, Marius Jonker, Mark Lawrence and Craig Joubert, and the rest of the members of the SA referees’ National Panel received their BokSmart certification after attending one of the National Rugby Safety Programmes’ courses in Cape Town last week.
The referees watched a BokSmart Rugby Safety DVD which is a practical guide to playing safe and smart rugby as part of their two-day referees workshop. The session was conducted by project manager Dr Wayne Viljoen. Each referee received a double DVD set, concussion guide, as well as a rugby safety handbook.
Kaplan said: “I think it is a great initiative and believe that more people should be exposed to the concept of BokSmart and what it is trying to achieve.
“We need the coaches, players, referees and officials to be exposed to these rugby safety programmes to ensure that we all understand, implement and promote the game of rugby as a safe sport in this country.”
The national rugby safety programme has successfully certified more than 2000 coaches, referees and development officers following its launch in July, and has concluded workshops at all 14 unions across South Africa.
Viljoen said: “It’s important that BokSmart has ambassadors such as our internationally acclaimed referees, who will promote the concept and values of our national rugby safety programme.
“It is also great to see that the likes of Jonathan Kaplan, Mark Lawrence, Marius Jonker and Craig Joubert and the rest of the National Panel, are fully behind our rugby safety programme.
“I hope that the rest of the refereeing community embraces the programme with the same amount of enthusiasm and support.”
BokSmart, which is sponsored by Absa, aims to reduce the number of serious and catastrophic head, neck and spinal injuries associated with the game. The goal is to provide the rugby community with all the knowledge and skills needed to ensure that safety and best practice principles are paramount in all aspects of the game.
SA Referees manager, André Watson, encouraged referee participation in BokSmart and made it clear that eventually unlicensed referees would not be allowed to be a part of the SA Referees set-up.
