A shortage of rugby referees ahead of the rugby season may see clubs controlling games, referee liaison officer Kevin Opele says.
Opele has taken on the voluntary liaison officer role with Mid Canterbury Rugby Union this season and was working with game development manager Blair Baxter to strengthen referee development, including retention, training, and recruitment.
He is calling for referees, especially past referees with experience, to help ease this season’s load. Senior rugby starts this weekend, then senior Bs and below next weekend.
‘‘We have lost eight referees so far, based on our 2024 registrations, so we have currently got 11 referees with one injured; three of those are new referees.’’
‘‘We have two senior games each week and then four senior B games so to cover those we are looking at six referees.’’
Opele said it took about two years of training before referees can move to higher ranks.
It would mean all other games below the top two levels would have no referee available, he said.
If no more officials were found, referee game coverage would be based on the union’s priority ranking system for each grade.
It will start at the top and move downwards, some weeks clubs will have to come up with associate referees to cover games and it could include senior B’s, he said.
‘‘They usually (cover) under 14s and a halves/under 13s, but this season they might have to keep going upwards.’’
Opele said the union was keen to hear from people able to help.
‘‘Anyone that has refereed before would be fantastic, but anyone new is great as well because we can train them up. That means the next year, and the year after, we are building a base which is what we need to keep rugby playing in Mid Canterbury.’’
‘‘Even if we can get a whole lot of people doing sidelines for us, it takes the burden of having to do two or three games in a day.’’
