National refereeing panel member Nick Hogan (left) and Sheldon Eden-Whaitiri, a referee of 200 premier club games, sporting the new gear for referees in Hawke's Bay. Photo / Doug Laing
National refereeing panel member Nick Hogan (left) and Sheldon Eden-Whaitiri, a referee of 200 premier club games, sporting the new gear for referees in Hawke's Bay. Photo / Doug Laing
The Hawke's Bay Rugby Referees Association has unveiled its latest kit, in the hope that after scraping through yet another weekend with barely enough members to control the games it will soon turn the tide against the era of declining numbers.
The kit, which has cost over $40,000 and canactually involve up to $600 of gear for the most fully involved, includes match strip and off-field shirts. It was unveiled on Sunday at the Meeanee Hotel, which along with supplier O'Neill's has joined the family of sponsors already comprising Beat Travel and Cape Physio (both since 2015), and Tamatea Pak 'n Save (since 2018).
The day beforehand, the HBRRA just made it through, with the commitment of several referees doing two and even three games during the day, two referees on a weekend exchange from Marlborough, a referee visiting the Bay from Wellington for the weekend doing a high schools match, and Hawke's Bay Magpies coach Josh Syms ready if he had to be, after refereeing a full senior 2 match between leader Bridge Pa and Premier Reserve side Havelock North a week earlier.
Recently Bruce Dockary, with over 150 Premier-grade games behind him and three seasons retired, bounced back to add another to the list recently. Also helping out are the future Magpies hopes in the Hawke's Bay Academy and Magpies wider training-group members doing children's games in the morning before playing their club games in the afternoon.
On another recent weekend, one referee took the whistle at venues in Hastings, Napier and Waipawa on the same day. Highlighting that the shortage is not just a local problem was a recent weekend when the Hawke's Bay association was unable to answer what secretary and Hawke's Bay union rugby referee manager Keith Groube says was an SOS from northern neighbour Poverty Bay.
Former ref Bruce Dockary (pictured here in 2018) bounced back to bolster the refs' list recently. Photo NZME
He says while clubs may have seen the association managing to cover the games, it is under great pressure without a considerable increase in numbers.
He and chairman Brent Malone see some light, with some improvement in sideline behaviour as clubs take greater responsibility for their members, with ground controllers wearing high-vis vests.
Malone says they are making a point of introducing themselves before matches as the go-to if some of the fans are getting out of hand.
But the call is still for clubs to encourage members who are no longer playing to become either associate or full-on refs. Otherwise, there will be times when the clubs have to find someone to referee, and he has seen games recently where that control has been "superb."
Syms can understand why some might not want to carry on amid the "opinions" from the sideline, and its "horrible elements."
But he says "it's good fun", and he would be out there again next weekend if it weren't for the fact that his own first year at the Magpies helm is getting a whole lot busier. A squad is named this week for a Queen's Birthday hit-out next against Manawatu on Monday in Pahiatua ahead of the first Ranfurly Shield defence of the season against South Canterbury on June 29.
Hawke's Bay is well served with qualified referees, the opportunities highlighted with five having had Super Rugby or NPC appointments in the last year. But their occasional absence adds to the issues, exacerbated by Covid-19 and the general expectation that each weekend will be missing several others who are unavailable because of other commitments.
