Referees Corner – Issue13 – 2025/26 – Ospreys

Welcome to another edition of Referees Corner. Today’s match official for this final Round 18 clash between Leinster and the Ospreys is Ru Campbell. He is assisted by Peter Martin and Dan Carson of the USRFR. Dave Sutherland is the TMO. John Carvill is the 4th official, Mark Gargan is the 5th official and Dan Wallace is the TimeKeeper.

Campbell is part of the Borders Rugby Referee Society and the SRU panel. He won the Crabbies Referee of the Season award in 2019. He refereed his first Super 6 match on 24 November 2019; Watsonians v Stirling County and also refereed in the Amsterdam Sevens in 2018. Campbell refereed the U18 match between Ireland and English Counties in April 2019 and has been Assistant Referee for the Lithuania v Switzerland match. He was involved in this year’s U209 Six Nations and refereed Wales v France. This is his first time refereeing Leinster and his 4th URC game.

Thanks to James Brady for this fantastic write up of Referee Recruitment & Retention at Coolmine RFC. In recent years Coolmine RFC has developed a strong and sustainable team of Leinster Referees who represent the club across all levels of provincial & All Ireland League rugby.

My own personal journey with rugby began in Coolmine (as well as my local school) back at age grade level. I had played through to adults but after a few injuries it was time for me to take up the whistle. The club put me in touch with Oliver Clarke and Ciarán O’Flynn (the brains of the operation) who head up the group of referees in the club.

Initially I was apprehensive about becoming a branch referee as I did not think I would have the confidence to be in the middle and I knew I would miss the comradery of match days with a team. I was pleasantly surprised when I found that this was not the case with refereeing as the Association of Referees Leinster Branch & respective clubs tend to be close knit and supportive communities.

The group in Coolmine is no different and aims to support and develop referees within our own club with the resources the club has to hand. This is possible due to buy in from the club and a very supportive Club President, Shane Delaney.

Referees are supported through the group both in a social aspect and a mentoring aspect. It is a safe space to ask questions about laws and experiences which we would have as referee’s week in week out; and believe me, I am nearly three seasons in and still have stupid questions. Every match is a school day and something to develop and learn from.  

The club also collaborates with local businesses to help back our development. For instance, the club developed a strength and conditioning centre where the referees have availed of one-to-one training with a local personal trainer. The club also supports the referees who represent Coolmine but waiving club fees and contributions to uniform. This ensures that we are never out of pocket for doing the job that we do.

With the help of the club, this has fostered an inclusive and diverse network of referees who represent that branch, and the club, at all levels!

Want to get involved? 

Referees provide a vital function in servicing all levels of the game. Refereeing is also a fantastic hobby and is increasingly becoming a genuine alternative to playing the game.

Whether you have aspirations to referee at the highest level or to referee locally, there is a place for you. There are excellent support structures in place to develop referees and a thriving social aspect too.

Feel free to make contact with the Leinster Rugby Referees at brendan.conroy@leinsterrugby.ie  If you are interested in becoming a referee get in contact with us through our Facebook, our website www.leinsterrugbyreferees.ie,  through X @leinsterreferee or instagram @leinsterreferees1.