South Africa appoints TMO specialists
New careers for two top refs
Two of South Africa’s top referees, both with test experience, Shaun Veldsman and Johann Meuwesen, are to become specialist television match officials (TMOs) from 2007.
They will not longer referee at the top level but will be used extensively as TMOs in Super 14 and Currie Cup. This is part of SA Rugby’s plan to increase specialisation amongst match officials and will see the introduction next year of specialist touch judges for top matches.
In announcing this, André Watson, South Africa’s referees manager said: “Top referees do not necessarily make top TMOs or touch judges. That is not their training or their focus. We want the best available people on the tough clines and in the TMO booths for a higher rate of accuracy.
“Shaun was injured this year and could not referee. We used him as a TMO and he was brilliant.
“He and Johann have had great careers as referees and I am thrilled that they will now give their expertise as TMOs.”
Both Veldsman and Meuwesen are young enough to continue with their careers as referees. Watson offered them the option of continuing with their on-field careers but both opted to become TMOs.
Meuwesen sees this new dispensation as an opportunity. “It opens up a new career for me. I was not going to be promoted to higher things in South Africa and felt that I was robbing younger referees of chances which they could have used better than I would have been.”
Like Meuwesen Veldsman is keen on the new path he has chosen. “It’s a new challenge, a new opportunity which I am going to grab with both hands. There can be only so many referees and being a TMO or a touch judge gives more people chances to be involved in the game.”
When his knee injury forced him off the field this year and he was given the chance to be a TMO week in and week out, he found it a most useful experience. “The more regularly you do the job, the more used to it you become. In the beginning you are excited but with experience you become calmer and are able to direct the television director. Because you know what you want, you are able to tell him exactly what to do.”
With the International Rugby Board moving in the direction of specialists with a panel of touch judges and TMOs and the possibility of increasing the TMO’s scope, there are great possibilities for such a specialist.
Johannes Coenraad Meuwesen was born in Marienthal, Namibia, on 7 March 1965. Meuwesen became a test referee in Namibia and has refereed five tests – three as a Namibian referee and two as a South African. He has now lived in Port Elizabeth for ten years and teaches at Otto du Plessis High School. He has refereed 10 Super matches and 151 provincial matches in all.
Shaun Ivan Veldsman was born in Worcester on 20 October 1966. He has refereed three test matches, six Super rugby matches and numerous provincial matches, including the Currie Cup Final in 2003. He was a schoolmaster and now is an adviser to the Old Mutual. He lives in Robertson in the Boland which he believes is the best place on earth.
