Du Preez changes refereeing tack
Top panel South African referee Christie du Preez has decided to change his refereeing focus and concentrate on being an assistant referee from now on.
A remarkable fit and athletic man he spoke to us from the side of a field where he was waiting for others to go on with their fitness training, a month after the season has ended.
He had weighed up his options. He would have liked to continue as a referee but the top South Africans – Jonathan Kaplan, Craig Joubert, Mark Lawrence and Marius Jonker – still have some years to go, at least until the 2011 World Cup. Meanwhile other, younger referees are eager to climb the ladder, leaving Du Preez in the middle with the possibility of being no further than he is in three years time and also with the possibility of dropping down.
Du Preez said: “I could hang around waiting for something to happen or I could make something happen.”
South Africa has one referee on the IRB’s list of specialised assistant referees, and he is doing exceptionally well at this. Du Preez has his sights set on this, especially as the IRB is clearly heading in the direction of specialisation for assistant referees as for television match officials.
Apart from his refereeing experience at IRB Sevens and in the Currie Cup, Du Preez has two years’ experience as an assistant in the Super 14.
Du Preez, a schoolmaster at Secondary School, teaching accounting, business economics and mathematics, started refereeing as many do – refereeing matches at school till somebody suggested that he join the Eastern Province Referees’ Society, which he did in 2000. At that stage he was a provincial athlete, doing the triple jump and the long jump. When the refereeing bug bit he gave up the jumps because of the danger of damage to his knees and ankles.
Du Preez’s refereeing career moved quickly. In 2002 was Eastern Province’s referee of the year and got onto the national panel. In 2004 he got onto the top national panel for the first time. In 2007 he refereed his first Currie Cup match.
The highlights in his career are the IRB Sevens and the chance to visit foreign places but the match that stands out is the opening match of the Currie Cup this year – Sharks vs Western Province.
Christian Du Preez was born Uniondale on 23 January 1970. He went to school at Booysen Park Secondary School and then graduated from the University of Port Elizabeth. He is married to Marilyn, and they have two children Crystal and Corwin.
