Boris Jurlina whistles up a century of premier games

TON UP: Ref Boris Jurlina has controlled 100 premier club games. PICTURE / NRRA

At just 30 years of age Boris Jurlina has achieved a rugby refereeing milestone few other Northland Rugby Referees' Association members have equalled - he's refereed his 100th premier game.

Jurlina reached the whistle-blowing century at North Harbour Stadium when he refereed North Harbour U19 v Auckland A U19 recently.

Boris is the son of dairy farmer turned motelier and orchardist Boris Jurlina and his wife Jean, of Lake Ohia. He attended Kaitaia College and worked as a metal fabricator in the Far North, moving to Whangarei about three years ago.

Jurlina took up the whistle after suffering a neck injury from rugby in high school but still wanting to be involved in the game.

He started out refereeing JMB rugby and ARing and very quickly made the transition from under-18 to senior premier club rugby.

He remembers his first premier game quite vividly: "It was Awanui versus Western Sharks in Dargaville about eight years ago."

Refereeing 100 premier games in Northland requires quite a commitment as the region's geographical spread means travel to and from games can be extensive.

Before moving south Jurlina faced a 4hour return trip to Whangarei each weekend to referee rugby.

He said he had been given a lot of great opportunities as a referee, travelling nationally and internationally.

Following his selection in the New Zealand Rugby Wider Training Group this year he officiated at a number of representative at various venues across the North Island.

One of the best parts of refereeing was "the people you meet and friendships you make along the way".

His advice to any young aspiring referees was: "If you're willing to put in the work in, you will get rewarded for it - my biggest regret was that I didn't get serious enough with my refereeing sooner."

He will receive his Northland blazer for 100 premier games at the Northland referees' prizegiving at Tutukaka later this month.