Ulster Rugby v Racing 92

Q&A REFEREE Why did you decide to take up the whistle? |ooh †r |_; ‰_bv|Ѵ; -[;u v†@;ubm] ˆ-ubo†v shoulder injuries playing rugby. I was beginning my teaching career and felt that doing my coaching badges and referees course would be 0;m;C1b-Ѵ |o _;Ѵrbm] ‰b|_ l‹ bmˆoѴˆ;l;m| bm Schools’ Rugby. What is the biggest thing you have learned since you started refereeing? Some of the best refereeing decisions are when you don’t put the whistle up to your mouth. What was the process like to become a referee? There is an excellent structure in place within Ulster to help support referees as they begin oL1b-ঞm] ]-l;v -| -ѴѴ Ѵ;ˆ;Ѵvĺ bh; bm ;ˆ;u‹ -vr;1| o= vrou|ķ 1olr;ঞঞˆ; r;orѴ; ‰-m| |o r†v_ themselves as far as their talent and endeavour -ѴѴo‰ķ -m7 |_;u; bv - Ѵo| o= ru-1ঞ1-Ѵ -m7 r;uvom-Ѵ support available within the USRFR and the IRFU Refereeing department to achieve this goal. What is your training regime like? ‰bѴѴ |u-bm r;uvom-ѴѴ‹ ƑŊƒ ঞl;v - ‰;;h -m7ķ -v -l 1o-1_bm] v1_ooѴvĽ u†]0‹ķ ];| orrou|†mbঞ;v |o ru-1ঞ1; 7b@;u;m| ;Ѵ;l;m|v o= |_; 7bv1brѴbm; before refereeing senior games at the weekend. What is the most memorable game you have refereed so far? _-7 |_; orrou|†mb|‹ |o 0; |_; Cuv| oˆ;uv;-v referee to referee at the famous Craven Week Tournament near Stellenbosch, South Africa earlier this year.

J O N N Y E R S K I N E

)_-| bv ‹o†u -l0bঞom -v - u;=;u;;ĵ I have already achieved one of my bucket list items, having refereed the Schools’ Cup bm-Ѵ bm ƑƏƐѶĸ 0†| ‰o†Ѵ7 -Ѵvo Ѵbh; |o _-ˆ; the opportunity to referee in the PRO14 and †uor;-m !†]0‹ 1olr;ঞঞomvĺ What one law would you like to change or introduce? One law I would change is around the number of v†0vঞ|†|;vĺ ‰o†Ѵ7 u;ˆ;u| 0-1h |o _-ˆbm] omѴ‹ |‰o v†0vঞ|†|;vķ ‰b|_ |_; ;Šr;1|-ঞom |_-| -ѴѴ players are able to play for 80 minutes. Who is your favourite referee and why? -7lbu; |_; ;Š1;ѴѴ;m| 1oll†mb1-ঞom vhbѴѴv o= Wayne Barnes and the relaxed but technically excellent ability of Australian referee Angus Gardner. What advice would you give to someone thinking about taking up refereeing? If you love the game of rugby, get involved as a referee, as you get to be right in the middle of the -1ঞom -m7 ];| |o 1om|ub0†|; bm - rovbঞˆ; ‰-‹ |o the game we all love.

$o Cm7 o†| lou; -0o†| u;=;u;;bm] bm &Ѵv|;uķ ˆbvb| www.ulsterrugby.com/referees ou ;l-bѴ !b1_-u7 ;uuķ uoˆbm1b-Ѵ !;=;u;; ;ˆ;Ѵorl;m| -m-];uķ om richard.kerr@irfu.ie

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