Hawke's Bay rugby boss hopes more will take to refereeing

Hawke's Bay Rugby CEO and refereeing newcomer Jay Campbell. Photo NZME

The bones needed a shake and the muscles some tweaking but, all in all, Hawke's Bay rugby boss Jay Campbell came through his refereeing debut looking forward to more action on the field next time around.

Answering the SOS amid a match officials shortage in rugby throughout the country, the Hawke's Bay Rugby Union chief executive brushed up on the rules and refereed an F-grade schoolboys game last Saturday, and is sticking to his plan to be available every fortnight for the rest of the season.

About six Hawke's Bay Magpies wider training squad players also refereed matches and more will do so this Saturday as the union and the provincial referees' association strives to restock the resources so that all games can return to the stage of having fully-qualified officials in charge.

While Campbell hopes his effort, and those of others, will inspire more to take up the whistle, referees chairman Brent Malone and refereeing appointments co-ordinator Mark Johnson are waiting for the resurgence, with clubs expected to still have to find referees for three matches on Saturday, including two in the Senior 3 grade.

All clubs have been told to make available at least one member or supporter to be trained to at least associate referee standard.

Malone watched Campbell's performance last Saturday, along with the refereeing by a Magpies squad member on a neighbouring field. He says their endeavours haven't yet sparked a flood of new match officials, but there is more understanding among clubs and spectators of the plight.

He said crowds at both games had appreciated and supported those who were there to referee and no concerns had arisen.

The focus is on making sure top games are covered, which include players hoping to play Magpies Ranfurly Shield and NPC matches later in the season, but the association has a commitment to provide referees to all Senior, colts and women's club games and secondary schools matches.

By some sort of pre-championship draw-making coincidence, the four Premier competition Maddison Trophy matches on Saturday will comprise two matches in which both sides were first-week winners and two where the teams were first-week losers, with top two sides Taradale and Hastings Rugby and Sports each having an away match.

Nash Cup holder Taradale plays Napier Old Boys Marist at Tremain Field, Park Island, and Maddison Trophy holder Hastings R&S plays riverside club Clive at Farndon Park, with results setting the direction of the competition for the remaining five weeks before the top four play in the semifinals on July 10.

In Saturday's other Premier matches, Central have a home game against M.A.C. in Waipukurau and Tamatea are at home to Napier Tech Old Boys at Bill Mathewson Park, Hastings.

In the Division 1 grade, relegated sides Havelock North and Napier Pirate face each other at Anderson Park, Havelock North, each having returned to winning form last weekend, while first-round winners Maraenui, beaten by Pirate as the new round started last Saturday, have another tough assignment away to Otane.