Your chance to be a rugby referee in Northland

It seems in New Zealand everybody is a rugby referee - at least in their minds - and English referee Wayne Barnes particularly draws the ire of Kiwis. Northland Rugby Union wants more Northlanders to become referees and is asking people to give it a go.

It seems most Northlanders are experts on rugby - now Northland Rugby Union is asking those who think they could be a referee to give it a go.

Northland Rugby Referees’ Association (NRRA) is calling for new referees for the 2023 season, after a difficult time last year dealing with injuries and illness.

Referee manager Katrina Holder is urging new referees to come forward to get involved and give back to the sport they love.

“[Last year] certainly had its challenges [with regard to] getting a referee at every game. We tried our best and we mostly had it covered, but we certainly need a recruitment drive to get our numbers up for 2023. We’d love to see more players giving it a go and giving back to their rugby community,’’ Holder said.

NRRA services a large geographical area, with games from Kaitāia to Wellsford requiring referees each week. NRRA chairman Gary Peach wants potential new members to know that they will be well-supported on their journey.

“We have an incredible support team for our new referees. We are with them every step of the way, from the day they walk onto the field with their whistle. We are committed to training and development, assisting with fitness, knowledge of the laws and making sure they have the correct gear on the day. It’s such a rewarding feeling giving back to the younger generation playing rugby,” Peach said.

The threat of abuse can also be a barrier, he said. However, in his experience, this is not an issue.

“I know people worry about being abused from the sidelines as a referee, but in general, that is not our experience. We actually find we gain a lot of respect from players, and we have ways of managing that type of behaviour on and off-field. We are urging people to give it a go this year; we’d love to welcome you to our association.”

NRRA’s annual open day for its members and new potential referees is being held on Sunday at the Northland Rugby Union headquarters at Pohe Island in Whangārei from 10am.

For more information, or to RSVP to the open day, contact Katrina Holder at refereeadmin@northlandrugby.co.nz or via 021 0284 2144.