Rugby: Rising referee lifts game to new level

Rugby referee Boris Jurlina will be taking the whistle in the Heartland Championship this season. Photo / John Stone

In the midst of all the negative news surrounding referee abuse, one Northland referee is going from strength to strength.

Boris Jurlina has been promoted to the New Zealand development squad for rugby referees.

He was ecstatic when he was told of his new position.

"It has sunk in now. It was such awesome news when I heard, the next 30 minutes were a blur," he said.

Jurlina had been in the wider training squad for the last two years and will get the opportunity to prove his worth in the Heartland Championship.

He said good fortune got him a spot in the squad after missing out last year.

"We went to referee at an under-19s tournament, where you are compared with your peers. Unfortunately I didn't make it last year," he said.

"We went to a training camp a couple of weeks ago, where I was promoted to the development squad. I was told one of the refs was let go as he didn't meet his obligations. There was a bit of luck involved."

The Northland Rugby Referees Association is very happy for Jurlina and NRRA chairman Gary Peach said the promotion was well deserved.

"He has been a dedicated and outstanding referee," he said.

"After the Heartland Championship, the obvious next step is taking control of Mitre 10 Cup games."

Peach is hoping this will help increase referee numbers in Northland.

"We're hoping this will bring more referees in. We are at a crisis point," he said.

"This is a great opportunity for Jurlina, and it's one we hope to capitalise on. Hopefully people see this and want to take up refereeing."

Jurlina is the first Northlander since Peter Nock in 2005 to reach this level.

His first game is to be confirmed, but Jurlina said it might be Poverty Bay's match against Buller in Gisborne.