New Zealand's 2019 Referees' Panel
New Zealand has chosen a panel of 34 referees for 2019. Of the 34, 12 are new to the panel and two are referees returning to the panel.
Six referees on the panel are dubbed professional referees – Glen Jackson, Nick Briant, Mike Fraser, Ben O’Keeffe, Paul Williams and Brendon Pickerill.
Two of the new referees have interesting pasts.
Till recently Daniel Waenga was a player of note, a flyhalf who played Super Rugby For the Chiefs. He is carrying on the recent influx, of ex-players into refereeing with their speeded-up promotion. New Zealand’s No.1 referee, Glen Jackson, has been a leading light in this regard.
Jono Bredin has been a celebrated netball umpire. New Zealand’s Netball Umpire of the Year in 2015 and 2016. Just this year he refereed the gold medal match at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast when England beat Australia. He has had three years of refereeing rugby.
The referees back on the panel are Vincent Ringrose and Richard Gordon.
New Zealand’s referee selectors, of who Bryce Lawrence is the chairman, have chosen the panel and will make the required appointments. It is from this panel that New Zealand referees will come for the 2019 Rugby World cup and other Tests, Super Rugby and New Zealand’s representative matches.
New Zealand’s 2019 National Panel of Referees: Glen Jackson (Bay of Plenty), Nick Briant (Bay of Plenty), Mike Fraser (Wellington), Ben O’Keeffe (Wellington), Paul Williams (Taranaki), Brendon Pickerill (North Harbour), Jamie Nutbrown (Canterbury), Angus Mabey (Auckland), Richard Kelly (Taranaki), James Doleman (Otago), Cam Stone (Taranaki), Michael Winter (Waikato), James Munro (Canterbury), Tim Griffiths (Manawatu), Nick Webster (North Otago), Hugh Reed (Hawke’s Bay), Tipene Cottrell (Hawke’s Bay), Damien McPherson (Poverty Bay), Nick Hogan (Wellington), Rebecca Mahoney (Wairarapa Bush), Stuart Curran (Otago), Jono Bredin (Otago), Marcus Playle (Auckland ), Chris Paul (South Canterbury), Brittany Andrew (Manawatu), Maggie Cogger–Orr (Auckland ),Lauren Jenner (Counties Manukau), Daniel Waenga (Hawke’s Bay), George Haswell (Canterbury, Daniel Moor (Canterbury, Larissa Collingwood (Waikato), Monique Dalley (Wellington), Vincent Ringrose (Wellington), Richard Gordon (Wellington)
