Rugby: Four Otago referees make squad

Four Otago referees have been selected in a South Island zone squad, the largest number of referees from the province to be picked in the squad.

Ross Barnett, Tim Baker, Liam Scanlon and Ben O'Keefe have all been picked for the 10-member squad, which will referee games in the South Island-wide representative competition, which features B teams and colts teams from provincial unions.

It is the next step down from first class rugby.

Otago Rugby Referees management group chairman Jim Thomson said it was great to have the four selected and it was a sign referees in Otago were being recognised for their hard work.

Refereeing numbers in Otago were at 84 across the province but it was always a struggle to get enough, as at most weekends up to 20% of referees were unavailable.

Thomson said many referees in Otago had become closely aligned with a referee academy programme set up in conjunction with the Otago Polytechnic and that had really improved refereeing across the board.

There were 12 referees in the second year of the part-time course and 10 in the first year of the course, which was set up a couple of years ago.

The course culminates in a certificate in high performance for rugby refereeing.

It worked on fitness, communication with players, and role in the game.

Barnett (24) and Baker (27) were in the South Island zone group last year and Barnett made his first-class debut last year when he refereed a match in Oamaru between North Otago and King Country.

All officiated at premier club level.

O'Keefe (21) and Scanlon (24) had also been selected in a New Zealand academy, with the national union identifying them as referees for the future.

Thomson said although refereeing was becoming more of a young man's game, it was disappointing more former premier club players did not take it up.

No Otago-based referees were likely to officiate in the ITM Cup or the Heartland Championship.