▁two ▁assistant ▁ref ere es . ▁The ▁ref ere es ▁are ▁commonly ▁addressed ▁as ▁" S ir ". ▁The ▁latter , ▁formerly ▁known ▁as ▁touch ▁jud ges , ▁had ▁the ▁primary ▁function ▁of ▁indicating ▁when ▁the ▁ball ▁had ▁gone ▁into ▁" touch "; ▁their ▁role ▁has ▁been ▁expanded ▁and ▁they ▁are ▁now ▁expected ▁to ▁assist ▁the ▁ref eree ▁in ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁areas , ▁such ▁as ▁watching ▁for ▁f oul ▁play ▁and ▁checking ▁off side ▁lines . ▁In ▁addition , ▁for ▁matches ▁in ▁high ▁level ▁compet itions , ▁there ▁is ▁often ▁a ▁television ▁match ▁official ▁( T MO ; ▁popular ly ▁called ▁the ▁" video ▁ref eree "), ▁to ▁assist ▁with ▁certain ▁dec isions , ▁linked ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁ref eree ▁by ▁radio . ▁The ▁ref ere es ▁have ▁a ▁system ▁of ▁hand ▁signals ▁to ▁indicate ▁their ▁dec isions . ▁ ▁Common ▁off ences ▁include ▁tack ling ▁above ▁the ▁shoulders , ▁col laps ing ▁a ▁sc rum , ▁r uck ▁or ▁ma ul , ▁not ▁re le asing ▁the ▁ball ▁when ▁on ▁the ▁ground , ▁or ▁being ▁off side . ▁The ▁non - off ending ▁team ▁has ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁options ▁when ▁awarded ▁a ▁penalty : ▁a ▁" t ap " ▁kick , ▁when ▁the ▁ball ▁is ▁k icked ▁a ▁very ▁short ▁distance ▁from ▁hand , ▁allowing ▁the ▁k icker ▁to ▁reg ather ▁the ▁ball ▁and ▁run ▁with ▁it ; ▁a ▁punt , ▁when ▁the ▁ball ▁is ▁k icked ▁a ▁long ▁distance ▁from ▁hand , ▁for ▁field ▁position ; ▁a ▁place - k