The officials tend to be the people overlooked, until they stand accused of making an ‘obvious’ error. The fact is, they have been training assiduously, mostly at Faro in Portugal. The skills they need vary widely. Take for example what the onfield assessment involves: application of the laws; match control; fitness, agility, positioning and work-rate;
A long series of warm-up games for the World Cup means World Rugby’s referees’ committee has been hard at work. While you will see plenty of familiar names in the lists below, it’s fascinating to note how the committee grades its officials. Naturally enough, the bigger the game, the bigger the name. There are further
A revamped regional referee squad programme has been announced today, featuring 82 of the country’s top and emerging referees split across five regional squads. The announcement of the squads is in line with the launch of the High Performance Referee strategy and the 2025 community referee framework. New Zealand Rugby’s High Performance Referee Manager, Chris
A new-look development referee programme has been introduced in 2024 and features more than 70 of the country’s leading referees. The programme sees the traditional High Performance squad disbanded in favour of a regional model which will allow more referees the exposure to development and training. Split along Super Rugby regional lines, the five squads
I’m back to a favourite topic of mine, the unfairness of language in rugby. It takes a different slant this time. I concentrate solely on the eighteen referees designated to cover the three levels of the WXV (full list below). First, congratulations to all of them. The referees’ assessment board goes to inordinate lengths to
The FA can confirm the 2023 Vitality Women’s FA Cup match officials who will oversee this year’s Final, while also confirming that VAR will be used for the very first time in the competition. Suffolk-based official Emily Heaslip will lead a team including assistant referees Georgia Ball and Chloe-Ann Small, with Abigail Byrne as fourth
Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa) and Joy Neville (Ireland) will take charge of the Rugby World Cup 2021 semi-finals at Eden Park this weekend. World Rugby has today confirmed that Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa) and Joy Neville (Ireland) will take charge of the Rugby World Cup 2021 semi-finals at Eden Park this weekend. It will be
It has saddened me to see adverse reports of Clara Munarini’s handling of the crucial Scotland-Wales game. Specifically, she didn’t show Wales a yellow card till the 65th minute, despite giving a flurry of penalties against them as they defended by all means at their disposal. A penalty kick completed by Keira Bevan was the
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has recognised all of the country’s Test match referees at a historic capping ceremony at Eden Park today. NZR President Max Spence said the event celebrated over one hundred years of New Zealand refereeing and acknowledged those who have been involved at the highest level of the game. “New Zealand has
Scottish referee Hollie Davidson will create history on 25 June when she leads an all-female match official team for the Portugal v Italy men’s international at the Estadio do Restelo in Lisbon. Davidson will have Sara Cox (England) and Aurélie Groizeleau (France) as her assistant referees and Claire Hodnett (England) as the Television Match Official
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