TODAY you can read the first in a regular series of "Whistleblower" columns from Wanganui Rugby Referees Association facilitator Neville Hopkins, designed to give local supporters a better idea of the rules that govern the world of union.
And perhaps not just those on the sidelines, either.
By the end of the fourth round of the Wanganui senior club season last month, 25 yellow cards had already been issued by eight officials against players from 10 clubs - 11 in premier and 14 in senior.
The most serious offences, which did not involve any cards, were physical abuse by Pirates reserve Uaealasi Taumaletua and verbal spray by first five Denning Tyrell at young referee Ben Lourie when he was initially going to disallow their winning try against Marist at Spriggens Park.
Perhaps trying to be genial about the situation, Lourie did not report the pair and was chastised by the WRFU for it, as the cardinal rule of sport is you cannot put your hands on an official.
Lourie obviously got the union's message about keeping a firmer hand as the following week he got the cards out for the Marton vs Border senior clash down in the Rangitikei.
After an overly complicated process, Taumaletua ended up with a 10-week suspension, after a precedent involving another Pirate, Samu Etuaiti, who got an identical sentence in 2013 for abuse of a linesman.
The depth of the local referee pool is already at paddling level and Hopkins has emphasised a desire to find more.
While they do this thankless task without fear or favour, referees have to feel they are in a safe environment and this means players need to to utilise the old "deep breath, count to five" before reacting.
I watched tempers start to boil for Border in their tight win over Ruapehu in Ohakune at Easter, when a Border player reached out to punch a Ruapehu pass into the air. While the player then caught the ball, referee Kawana Tihema ruled it as a deliberate knock-on instead of a clean intercept and he had a three-word response as he marched Border's forwards another 10m for backchat when they blew up at the call: "Learn the rules."
A few minutes later, Border winger Nathan Davis put half a foot in touch when going over for the potential matchwinning try. His teammates, by now convinced they were getting the rough side of Tihema's tongue, were just about to let loose another spray when they saw me - I guess the completely neutral party - nodding my head that it had been the right call, with Tihema even pointing out my confirmation.
While they can have good days and bad days at the office, I've found Tihema and Lourie to be pretty good officials - Lourie being the only local referee I have praised in print, which was for his superb handling of the 2013 Pirates vs Border premier semifinal.
Last year, Gordon Ririnui took my constant mentioning of three Taihape players getting yellow cards in 10 minutes from him with good humour, while Peter Clarke is always up for a chinwag on the Spriggens Park sidelines.
I would not do their job for all the tea in China.
Alongside the other adversarial football codes - league, gridiron, and soccer - union's rules are the most difficult to interpret, especially as the moments between challenge and denouncement can take place in the space of milliseconds.
You have to have faith that, at least most of the time, the bloke in white with the whistle around his neck will know what he's talking about.
"Learn the rules," is a fair catch cry, and "think before you speak" is another.