Hawke's Bay Magpies assistant coach Josh Syms has joined the refereeing revolution by stepping up to help plug the gaps in the region's rugby refereeing roster by taking up the whistle for two matches this season.
And while the club season is starting to draw to a close and the Magpies' season about to heat up, with the first Ranfurly Shield defence just a week away, Syms isn't ruling out the possibility to get the whistle out yet again before the season ends.
A former school teacher who took up coaching after his playing career ended with a serious injury at the age of 26, Syms had some experience refereeing when needed in lower age groups, and associate refereeing courses are part of the growth and contractual obligations of the modern Magpies player.
Thus he had no hesitation in stepping up to help out amid the referee-shortage crisis in Hawke's Bay when the SOS went up earlier this season.
He refereed a Colts match between Central and Taradale in Waipukurau on May 22, and on Saturday the Senior Division 2 match between Waipawa Country United and Eskview in Waipawa, where he lives.