Stanley's Russian expedition
HM Stanley explored Africa and is labelled intrepid. Colin Stanley is off on an expedition to Russia at this stormy time and is labelled a referee.
Irish Stanley will referee the match in the European Nations Cup between Russia and Romania in Krasnodar on Saturday, a vital match for the Russians.
Oddly enough Romania seem out of contention for the title in a competition now spread over two years and played home and away. Georgia and Russia are neck and neck. But Russia need to win on Saturday to draw level with the Lelos and turn their match on 12 April into a decider.
Referee Stanley has been to many parts of the world to referee but this will be his first trip to Russia. Mercifully Krasnodar is down in the south and warmer than Moscow. It’s still not sunbathing weather – a chance of rain increasing from 20% to 70%, a high of 10°C dropping to 2°C.
Naturally the general manager from Belfast is looking forward to the trip with two other Irish referees to help him – David Wilkinson and Leo Colgan. They will travel together via Heathrow and Moscow down to Krasnodar.
Stanley went the familiar route into refereeing – injured player on the touch-line when the referee did not pitch up.
He says: “I played rugby for Bandon Grammar School and Kinsale Rugby Club. Unfortunately I tore my cruciate knee ligament playing against High School in Dublin which ended my playing career aged 16.
“I started refereeing when I was at University in Aberystwyth in Wales aged 21 when I was watching a University match on a Wednesday afternoon and the referee didn’t turn up.”
Lots start like that and catch the bug.
He has stayed in the game ever since but not always in one place. Having been in the food Industry has meant he has moved around a lot. He started refereeing in Wales, then refereed in England for five years, was a member of the Leinster Branch for two years and for the past four years has refereed in Ulster – a Cork man from Ireland’s deep south settled in the colder climes of the north.
Apart from the Four Home Unions, he has been to Spain, South Africa, France, Romania, the Caribbean Islands, the Czech Republics and France with his whistle. Now he is off to Mother Russia.
A referee contracted by the Irish Rugby Football Union, he refereed his first Test match in 2006 – Czech Republic vs Georgia in Prague. His second Test was in Bucharest when Romania played Georgia and David Wilkinson was also one of his touch judges.
Apart from the Tests he has refereed English Students against French Universities in Oxford and refereed at the IRB’s Under-19 World Championship. He has refereed one Heineken Cup match – when he was the touch judge and Donal Courtney went off hurt – and matches in the Magners League and the European Challenge Cup.
He loves it, saying: “Rugby is the best team sport in the world and refereeing is the next best thing to playing rugby .”
There have been great moments.
Greatest referee achievement? “My second Test, a Nations Cup match in Bucharest – Romania v Georgia.”
Most memorable match? “A proper grassroots game of rugby In South Africa north of Durban in Zululand I refereed a local derby between two local villages called Mtubatuba and Hluhluwe. A huge crowd turned up and one floodlight didn’t work and so we used the headlights from a few of the locals jeeps.”
Most enjoyable game you have refereed? “At the Under-19 World Championship tournament in Paris in 2003 Portugal v Chile. It was the B Group semifinal and it ended at full-time as a 17-all draw. So it went down to kicks at goal from the 22m line, the tension was unbelievable.”
Born in Cork in June 1973, Colin is married to Nicki-Ann who played squash for Ireland in her day. “She understands the sacrifices you have to make to compete at the top in sport.” They have two young children.
