By the Referee Department

Colston’s School has an enviable reputation for developing talented rugby players and, given the pupils’ obvious enthusiasm for the game, the RFU Referee Department has targeted the school as having the potential to produce National Panel Referees of the future.

Following a visit to the school by Ed Morrison, Elite Referee Officer and Richard Glynne-Jones, Panel Development Manager, 25 pupils are undertaking Part One of the National Foundation Course, with a view to refereeing schools fixtures. It is not intended that the pupils, of whom three are girls, will stop playing rugby, rather that they use their playing experience to assist their refereeing and vice versa.

In the short term, the pupils will be encouraged to join Bristol Referees’ Society, complete Part Two of the Foundation Course and referee both schools and junior fixtures. From the very outset, the young referees will receive coaching and support from RFU staff, whose vision it is to bring more young referees into the game, as is happening successfully in the southern hemisphere. By 2010, however, the RFU’s aim is for two of the 25 pupils to be accepted onto the National Panel of Referees. An ambitious target perhaps, but one which is certainly achievable.