Become A Munster Community Referee

Munster Rugby, along with IRFU Referee Development staff Dave McHugh and Peter Fitzgibbon, have recently introduced the new Community Referee initiative in the province.

Community refereeing is open to all rugby club members (male & female) aged 18 to 60 years of age. Ideal candidates should be reasonably fit, have a good understanding of the game and be available to referee.

This is an important new category of referee within the Munster Association of Referees (MAR) and the key characteristics of the Community Referee are:
• He/she will only referee age-grade rugby (ring-fenced).
• He/she will only referee locally within their own area thus reducing the requirement to travel.
• He/she will be a member of the MAR.
• He/she will be appointed by MAR.

New competition models are currently being introduced in Munster age-grade rugby to ensure more meaningful games are provided for all participants. It is the responsibility of all clubs and schools to contribute to this process by nominating potential applicants for the Community Referee initiative. Suitable candidates will then go through the process of education, appointment and trial in order to commence the refereeing of youth matches.

They will become full members of the MAR and will be appointed solely by the MAR. As full MAR members they will have access to buy tickets, will referee in MAR kit, and will come under the MAR governance. They will receive ongoing education, and will be assessed during their trial period.

You can become a Community Referee by attending the next MAR Referee Course on September 13 in Mallow GAA Club.

For course details, please contact:
South Munster: Dave McHugh | 086-026 0012 | david.mchugh@irfu.ie

North Munster: Peter Fitzgibbon | 086-832 2987 | peter.fitzgibbon@irfu.ie