- New selectors group for men’s and women’s as well as full-time staff
- New structures designed to promote the best officials to the sport’s biggest events
- Specialist coaching, talent identification and greater investment aimed at advancing support of officials at the elite level
- Enhanced performance analysis and coaching framework agreed to drive transparent appraisal and common focus
Phil Davies (pictured left), the World Rugby Director of Rugby has announced details of a new strategic approach that will transform high-performance match officiating on the global stage. The new structure features new specialist coaches, a new selection and performance management process and a long-term plan to identify and develop global talent.
The match officials management group will all report through to Davies, and includes the Talent Identification Manager, women’s and men’s 15s match official coaches, a women’s pathway manager and emerging nations match official support.
Joel Jutge continues as the Elite Men’s Match Officials Manager. He is being joined John Lacey as Talent Identification Manager. He will work across the men’s and women’s 15s and will work closely with the (as yet unappointed) Women’s Pathway Manager and emerging nations support staff to identify and nurture the best match officiating talent from around the world. Lacey has been consulting for World Rugby’s High Performance unit in many of those Unions having supported Samoa, Uruguay, Fiji and Romania during Rugby World Cup 2023 and match officials in many of those countries as well. He has been supporting the IRFU Elite referees since retiring from onfield duties in 2019.
Joy Neville (right) is to join World Rugby as the Elite Women’s 15s Match Officials Head Coach. She will work closely with Alhambra Nievas, the Elite Women’s Match Officials Manager and alongside the Women’s Pathway Manager. She referees her final test match during the Women’s Six Nations before moving into the role.
That means the men’s and women’s elite structures are now identical and will operate closely together, promoting the best match officials to the top of the game regardless of gender.
The men’s and women’s selection groups will feature independent Chairs, selectors representing the north and south, and the respective World Rugby referee manager.
The strategy, which will be embedded from next month, will operate closely across all major elite club competitions, delivering a consistent approach to match officiating regardless of location through a data-driven scorecard approach performance management. This will drive clarity and consistency across competitions and teams.
Men’s Emirates World Rugby High Performance Match Officials structure
The management team will continue to be led by Elite Men’s Match Officials Manager Joël Jutge. He is joined by experienced international match official Brendon Pickerill in a new position of Elite Men’s 15s Match Officials Head Coach (he will step down from refereeing duties after this weekend’s Super Rugby round).
The Selectors Group will be chaired by World Rugby Executive Board member Brett Robinson (Aus) who will lead the new selection group comprises independent selectors Dave McHugh (North) and Mitch Chapman (South), along with Jutge, Pickerill and Davies.
Women’s Emirates World Rugby High Performance Match Officials structure
As well as Nievas and Neville, there will also be a new Women’s Match Officials Pathway Manager role. Recruitment for that role is underway. Chaired by World Rugby Executive Board member Su Carty, the new selection group comprises Andrew Macpherson (North) and Wayne Erikson (interim, South), along with Nievas, Neville and Davies.
Emirates World Rugby Sevens Match Officials structure
In sevens, Elite Sevens Manager Paddy O’Brien will continue to be supported by High Performance Sevens Coach Craig Joubert.
Support expertise
All structures will have access to specialist scrum, lineout, performance, and mental wellbeing coaches including Alex Corbisiero (Scrum) and Richie Gray (breakdown).
Collaboration
Approval of the strategy by World Rugby’s Executive Board builds on strong collaborative work with unions and teams to deliver a high-performance system and a set of guiding principles that will underpin match officiating in the key areas of safety, speed, space, scrum and lineout/maul. A transparent and consistent approach will operate between match officials, the selectors, unions and competitions to create an environment that works together to advance the game.
Unified, clear and consistent approach
Commenting on his new structures, World Rugby Director of Rugby Phil Davies said, “Rugby is a sport built on collaboration and communication, and it is imperative that we have a truly unified, clear and consistent approach across match officiating regardless of country or competition. This is important for officials, players, coaches and fans.
“This new strategy is an evolution, not revolution, but it does for the first time set us up for success, bringing all stakeholders – unions, coaches and players on to the same page regarding on-field focus, while implementing the foundation structures that will support match officials coming through the system and at the top as we accelerate into a new era for the sport.”