Ratoath RFC are proud of our reputation as a family club where everyone is welcome, both members of our own club and those from visiting clubs. We want our teams to be strong and competitive but fair and respectful of their opponents and the officials. We want Our Club to be seen as a friendly place both for our own members and for the members of our visitors. We are a friendly Club. As our club grows, so does our support in the local community. With this growth comes a need to have guidelines in place to ensure our values are understood by all our spectators.

The teams love to have the support of members who are turning up in greater numbers to watch our matches. It really helps to build the membership of the Club into a community and to give us all a sense of ownership of OUR Club. There are a few things that we would like everyone to bear in mind though.

Sideline Support:
Keep your support of the team positive. There is no need to point out where a player has gone wrong. Most likely, he will know it himself. Otherwise, leave it to the coaches to correct. Similarly, don't shout instructions to the team. Such instructions shouted from several different quarters can often be contradictory. Leave the instruction to the coaches and the players themselves.

Leave the fifteen players on the pitch to challenge the opposition. Those of us on the touchline don't need to give them any assistance. There is no necessity to comment on the opposition's style of play or familiarity with the rules or suchlike.

Please refrain from criticizing the referee from the touchline, whether as a player, coach, parent or spectator. Criticism and barracking of the referee creates a poor impression of Our Club and tends only to turn the referee against us. Nor does it help to instil, particularly in our younger players, a sense of respect for the officials. That respect is an integral part of the game. We all know that referees get things wrong. Even the top-level international referees make mistakes. But their decisions, once made, are correct and must be respected. If a referee has missed something, the team captain can talk to him. The coaches can talk to him at half time. The spectators cannot. Remember also, it is not an easy job and without them we would not be able to play our game.

The IRFU's Code of Conduct is a useful guide.

Pitch Enclosure:
It is a requirement of the International Rugby Board that there be a pitch enclosure, and Ratoath RFC comply with IRB pitch regulations. The pitch enclosure rule is as follows:

All matches being played on a full pitch will be subject to a pitch enclosure. This applies to all matches from U13s up to and including the Club's 1st XV. Only the match day panel of players together with team coaches and officials from both teams and the match officials shall be permitted to be within the pitch enclosure.
In Jamestown, the pitch enclosure will be all areas inside the boundary of the outside lane of the athletics track.
In Curragha Road, no spectators will be allowed along the touchline on the field (Village) side of the pitch. If watching from behind the top goal, spectators will not be allowed further then the gravel area. Along the Curragha-side touchline, spectators will not be allowed within five metres of the touchline.
Where possible, these pitch enclosures will be demarcated by a rope boundary. The absence of a rope boundary will not mean the absence of a pitch enclosure.
It shall be considered a disciplinary offense to enter a pitch enclosure when not authorized or to remain inside the enclosure having been asked to leave it.

Racial/Religious/Foul Abuse:
Please also see in our website Documents section a message from the Leinster Branch regarding racial/religious/foul abuse.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Dara Hayes,
Hon. Secretary, Ratoath RFC.