Debney in California for qualifier
Big occasion for enthusiastic referee
On Saturday the USA play Uruguay in Stanford in the second leg of their World Cup qualifier, and the referee is Rob Debney of England.
It is an important match for the two teams for the winner will go to France next year to take part in the 2007 Rugby World Cup and a great first for the enthusiastic referee, one a PE teacher and now full-time referee who takes his refereeing seriously but not so seriously that he cannot enjoy it to the full and the opportunities it provides in seeing the world and meeting people.
As an indication of his seriousness he is now developing his language skills "as part of my professional development". He speaks French, Italian and Russian and is now doping a part-time degree in French and Italian.
Robert Stephen Debney was born in Stafford on 15 December 1973. He went to King Edward VI High School in Stafford where "two fantastic PE teachers, namely Graham Whitmore and David Wylie who both instilled a passion for the game" and then on to Loughborough University where his main mixture of subjects was chemistry and sports science. Before becoming a full-time referee he was a PE teacher.
His interest in sport other than rugby remains keen – especially cricket and athletics. Travel is another big interest, and being a top rugby referee feeds both interests – sport and travel for already he has visited 15 countries with his whistle and tog bag – and he has been a full-time referee for only one year.
Nice work, if you can get it!
Debney had a short career in the front row of a scrum before injury put paid to that and he was happy to concentrate on field events, discus and short, at which he reached junior international level.
Injury happened at school and so did refereeing, as Debney says: "I got into refereeing at school. My friend’s Dad Stuart Buckley was a referee; he often refereed our school matches. I was recovering from an injury and he suggested that I try some refereeing as a way of staying involved in the game, keep my fitness up and I was never a good spectator!
"I did a few games when I was at school, Stuart gave me some coaching and advice and I put this into practice when I went to Loughborough University.
"The first year students used to referee the intramural matches on Sundays. There were games every Sunday at 11.30, 1.30 and 3.45. I'd referee my own game and do two others for my colleagues in exchange for a couple of beers in the evening!
"When I left Uni and bought a car life became immeasurably easier and I started refereeing around the county and at Society level from there." The society was the Leicestershire Referees' Society, in which he made rapid progress.
Debney says: Refereeing is very competitive and in England we have over 6000 referees. I was always very fortunate to have been much younger than many of my contemporaries and hence was, I guess, ‘fast tracked’ through the society and regional level. I made the National Panel of Referees and the Elite Referee Unit a year later.
Highlights?
"I refereed the 2003 Under-21 World Cup Final, my first test (Canada vs USA) but most importantly meeting loads of fantastic people all over the world, particularly on the IRB Sevens Circuit last year.
He did not do it on his own. Men like Brian Campsall and Ed Morrison have been a big help in the last ten years.
He did not get there without ideals, role models, if you like. He says: "Chris White and Tony Spreadbury would be two of many."
He did not get there without some sort of philosophy which he says briefly is: "Referee what’s in front of you and just let them play, only get involved in the game when you have to."
Debney is married to Justine, and they have two children, Holly and Alexander.
