In its second season, the North American Major League Rugby series will be bringing in top new refereeing talent from around the world, not just relying on home-grown referees. Last month, we told how the South African, Ben Crouse, would be guesting for four weeks as the league continues to raise professional rugby standards in North America. His first match in the middle was last weekend as Seattle Seawolves narrowly beat the Toronto Arrows.
But it’s not just Crouse who’se flying in to take part. Developing referee talent from Argentina, Scotland, Wales and England will also be helping out, following a successful trial in 2018 when the RFU’s Adam Leal spent six weeks refereeing across the States.
For 2019, MLR has a core group of American-based officials – Scott Green (Texas, but native of Wellington, NZ) and Derek Summers (Tulsa, Oklahoma), Paul-Henri Courbier (California via France) and Luke Rogan (New York via Australia).
MLR’s Match Official Manager Richard Every has then called on his extensive network and experience to bring in exchange referees to support the 75-game season. So, to support the four American officials, Every will bring in these referees throughout the 21-week season:
- Argentinian test match referee Pali De Luca (three weeks);
- Currie Cup and former HSBC Sevens referee Ben Crouse, from South Africa (six weeks);
- Wales’ Anglo-Welsh Cup match official Elgan Williams (three weeks);
- Scottish PRO14 and HSBC Sevens referee Sam Grove-White (three weeks); and
- RFU Championship referee, England’s Anthony Woodthorpe (six weeks).
Overseeing them will be a Match Official Management Group, itself full of international experience. Joining Every is New Zealander Chris Pollock; the English pair of Steve Lander and Rob Debney, Canadians Andrew McMaster and Sean McDonaugh, as well as former HSBC Sevens strength and conditioning coach Phil Dunne from Ireland.
Development referees
Every and his team are also already looking ahead the 2020 season, which will see the addition of four more teams. They have identified two development referees in Canada’s Talal (Moe) Chaudhry and Lex Weiner from the United States. Three more emerging talents – Robin Kaluzniak of Canada, and Steven Fenaroli & Gavin McCandless of the US – will serve an apprenticeship this coming season as assistant referees.
Infrastructure for outstanding referees
“MLR’s vision is to create an infrastructure that combines the best refereeing talent in North America, world-leading experts and a professional, competitive environment,” said MLR Match Official Manager Richard Every (pictured left). “This outstanding group of match officials will make an important contribution to our growing league. Referees have to provide a level playing field by applying the Laws, so that it is the players who decide the outcome of games. That’s how we’ll create an exciting, accessible rugby product on the field that appeals to sports fans around the country.”
The match officials met in Houston at the beginning of the year. They were joined by the MLR team coaches to establish clarity and consensus around key phases from a refereeing and playing perspective, and to establish a working relationship. The transparent, interactive approach between coaches and referees, plus access to the match official review and development process, has already created an open and collaborative culture.
“We are seriously impressed by the dedication our referees and officials have shown in the lead up to this all-important Season 2,” said MLR Deputy Commissioner Nic Benson. “Their hard work and commitment will be a critical building block to MLR’s success. Our team combines some of the best talent North America has to offer with top level international expertise. As we build on our 2018 foundation, we look forward to becoming an aspirational destination for match officials across the continent and beyond.”
