Walsh quits NZ refereeing
After some time out of the game ‘for personal reasons’ Steve Walsh has announced that he is to quit refereeing in New Zealand. One of the best referees in the world in his time, he is now only just 36 years of age.
Walsh, who started refereeing at the age of 16 and refereed his first test at the age of 25, has stated that his alcohol problem is the root cause of his decision but also blames the New Zealand Rugby Football Union, his employer.
Walsh is reported to have said on New Zealand RadioSport that he had approached the union for help, “but they weren’t prepared to buy into that type of counselling and help”.
Walsh has had problems in the past, twice suspended, once during the 2003 World Cup and once during the Lions tout to New Zealand. At the most recent SANZAR meeting of referees and coaches, he arrived drunk and abusive at a meeting. In the radio interview he admitted that he had been out with friends the night before and had pretty much drunk through the night. He was asked to leave the meeting.
There was an inquiry into the matter about which Walsh said: “Pretty much as a consequence of that inquiry and me owning up to my mistakes, the rugby union weren’t prepared to give me another chance and the upshot is I’ve finished refereeing in New Zealand.”
Also on New Zealand RadioSport, the New Zealand RFU general manager of professional rugby, Neil Sorenson, said that he had been working with Walsh for the past six to eight months.
Sorenson said: “Steve would have received more support from us than any player or administrator that we’ve ever supported over the last couple of years.
“That’s undeniable and absolutely the honest truth.”
Sorenson said the NZRU would continue to support Walsh until at least the end of this year.
Walsh was withdrawn from Six Nations appointments and would have been a strong candidate to referee the Tests between the Springboks and the Lions this year.
Walsh got onto the New Zealand National Panel in 1996, then refereed to as Steve Walsh Junior because another Steve Walsh, nicknamed Skylab, was on the panel. Since then he has refereed 212 first class matches and 35 Tests.
Walsh may well seek to referee in Japan.
