Owens encourages young refs
With the increase in school matches following the inception of the Welsh Rugby Union's School Hub programme, which has so far seen 73 schools and colleges across Wales employ full time rugby officers, there is now significant demand for referees for extra-curricular matches at school level. The development of referees and in particular young referees is also a key priority for the Welsh Rugby Union and the Union is determined to use Nigel Owens’s profile following the Rugby World Cup as part of a positive recruitment campaign.
It is hoped that through this strategy, a pool of young referees will be created to support the playing opportunities of age group matches across schools, colleges and clubs in Wales. At the same time, this also allows the Welsh Rugby Union Referees Department to track and support these young qualified referees and engage them within its development structure. Hopefully by following this process, a flow of referees can be created to service the adult game in the future.
Following a huge demand from hub school pupils for this qualification, at least three more courses will be held around Wales.
The first course, for hub pupils in the Blues region, is from 10.00 on Monday 30 November 2015 at the National Centre of Excellence, Vale Resort.
Those present will be Nigel Owens, Nigel Whitehouse, who is the Welsh Rugby Union's referees manager and Paul Adams, the Welsh Rugby Union's match officials community development officer Paul Adamst, along with school club hub officers and pupils.
Nigel Owens and Paul Adams will run the course; there will be filming, photographic and interview opportunities
From the Welsh Rugby Union
