Helping to develop the best referees

Paul Rees talks to Chris White about the specialist programme which has trained some of the top refs in world rugby

- Paul Rees

CHRIS White refereed in three World Cups and he will have an impact on this year’s tournament in France with two products of his officiating scholarship at the University of Gloucestershire, Matthew Carley and Christophe Ridley, last month named in the 19 match-day officials for rugby’s top event.

Carley was the first of White’s scholars in a programme which began in 2004. It started by accident after White went on a reconnaissance mission to the university for his rugby club, Cheltenham, and the only one of its kind in the UK has gone from strength to strength.

“It is a hidden gem and there is scope for it to grow into something much bigger,” said White, who refereed the 2003 World Cup semi-final between Australia and New Zealand in Sydney and took charge of more than 190 Premierships matches.

“It started when I went to the university for Cheltenham and the director of sport there introduced me to various scholars, from hockey to swimming. I asked where the referee scholar was and everyone laughed.

“It went from there. We kicked the idea around and Matthew Carley, a 19-year old sports education undergraduate from Kent, was the first of 75 scholars so far in a number of sports.”

White is the lead for the scholarship and he is also the head coach of the RFU’s professional match officials. The two jobs are distinct but they have a link with White, who started refereeing by accident when he was 17, also involved in the referee pathway in England.

“It all started for me in a pub on a Friday night,” he said. “Cheltenham Saracens needed a referee for their match against Evesham the following day and someone suggested I could do it. After a few shandies I agreed and I went on to referee some 200 games by the time I was 27, playing for Cheltenham at the same time.