Neutral Referees Appointed for Opening Rounds

Sep 24 • General News, Guinness Pro14 • 1746 Views • Comments Off on Neutral Referees Appointed for Opening Rounds

Neutral referee appointments have been confirmed for the first six rounds of the Guinness PRO14 as the new season kicks off this weekend.

All seven appointments for Round 1, which have been made by Elite Referee Manager, Greg Garner, are neutral and this will continue right up to Round 6. Additionally, the majority of Assistant Referee 2 and Television Match Official appointments are neutral.

This weekend’s line-up of referees will combine for a total of 353 Championship appearances with an average of 50 appearances per official. Additionally, five of the seven referees have previously been appointed to World Rugby international fixtures.

Speaking ahead of Round 1, Greg Garner, Elite Referee Manager for PRO14 Rugby, spoke about the progress that has been made in recent seasons: “It’s positive news that we have been able to confirm neutral referee appointments all the way up to Round 6. We understand the demands that exist around the selection of neutral match officials and the key to this was always ensuring the capability existed to deliver on that.

“Throughout the first six rounds capability and experience will go hand-in-hand and to see the combination of over 350 appearances available across this weekend’s referees is very reassuring. A huge amount of work has gone on in the background to ensure our match officials are better prepared than ever before and that we are pushing them to achieve higher standards.

“Already, we have implemented new review processes for our referees that include a greater level of independent assessment. We introduced dedicated analysts to ensure we are accurately tracking their performances and established a full review and feedback process is in place with every Head Coach and Director of Rugby in the Guinness PRO14.

“For the first time, we recently held a joint meeting with all of our referees and coaches ahead of the start of the season to ensure we are delivering a standard of rugby that benefits the Championship and allows our teams the opportunity to play in a consistent environment. An agreed list of focus areas was identified which will ensure our teams can thrive so that the Guinness PRO14 can continue to build its reputation for engaging and entertaining rugby.”