Rugby: Jackson picks up the whistle

Glen Jackson blows the whistle on his rugby career next season - to become a referee with a view to officiating at the 2015 World Cup.

The former Bay of Plenty, Chiefs and New Zealand Maori first five-eighth yesterday joined the New Zealand Rugby Union's (NZRU) professional referees group - though he has one last campaign with London-based Saracens before returning home next year.

Jackson, who headed to England in 2004, is something of a rarity - an elite player willing to make the switch to refereeing while still in his prime.

The 33-year-old admitted he could have continued playing in Europe or Japan when his deal at Saracens lapses.

There was also scope to delve into coaching, but Jackson has long harboured a desire to place himself in a different firing line.

He started refereeing school games in Bay of Plenty while still playing for the Chiefs and progressed through his refereeing exams in England.

"It's something I thought about doing for six years," said Jackson, who is in Auckland this weekend to attend an NZRU referees conference.

He even hoped he might eventually be a role model and encourage other former players to take up what is often seen as a thankless task.

As a career rugby player Jackson is acutely aware of the reception that awaits when he switches sides. After all, he's dished out enough advice in his playing days.

"I was over the top at times, most 10s [first five-eighths] are.

"It's something I've tried to curb over the last few years, knowing I wanted to do this. I also tried to know the rules a little bit more." Jackson's interest in officiating has been fostered by leading test referee Bryce Lawrence, a former schoolmate and flatmate in Tauranga.

"I've seen what Bryce has done. When we were living together he was doing first grade games, a couple of weeks ago he did a Lions test."

That series in South Africa also showed the pitfalls on refereeing at the highest level after Lawrence's decision making was queried in each of the three tests.

But for Jackson, flak has always been an occupational hazard.

"As a 10 you get a lot of crap over most things. It will be a tough thing to be into but as a player hopefully you have a better feel for the game."

Jackson nominated the breakdown as obviously the trickiest area to adjudicate on as it remains a "mess", despite frequent law changes.

He thought memorising the law book would not be his biggest challenge - rather it was what to do if a scuffle broke out.

"I think the toughest thing will be when someone whacks someone and they whack someone back. You have to do something about it where as a player you'd usually think 'Well you probably deserved that'."

Jackson, who is expected to make his professional refereeing debut in next year's Heartland Championship, hopes to officiate for a decade and has definite goals.

He never made the World Cup as a player but the 2015 tournament in England or Japan will hopefully see him play a role.

"That's something I want to achieve."

- NZPA