There are two big misconceptions around referees…

The first is that we’re not fans. Referees love rugby as much as anyone. It’s that love of the game that makes us want to be the best that we can be and officiate to a level that keeps players safe, always promotes fairness and facilitates great, memorable games.

The second is that we operate alone – that couldn’t be further from the truth. More than ever before referees from all over the world work together to achieve the highest standards in our profession. To be consistent and achieve excellence requires knowledge sharing, coaching and communication so that everyone associated with the game we love can enjoy the spectacle of rugby without the officiating becoming the story.

Like most of us, I started out playing rugby. While recovering from an injury in my mid-teens a teacher suggested that I take up refereeing to keep busy on Saturday afternoons.

I discovered that, not only do you get a couple of pounds in travel expenses, but you also get a couple of free pints after the game in a special referee tankard. As a 15-year-old lad, I thought this was brilliant – I’d found my dream job!

I went to the University of East Anglia in Norwich to study Law, where I played mid-week rugby and continued my Saturday refereeing. I realised pretty quickly which I was better at, or rather, my teammates were quick to tell me which I was better at. I chose the route to becoming a professional referee, and that’s how it all started back in 2005.

Because I’d started refereeing so young, I already had quite a bit of experience under my belt by the time I got the call to go to my first Rugby World Cup as a referee.