BKT-URC Ulster Rugby Match Day Programme v Dragons

Referees’ Corner
Tonight, we welcome Gianluca Gnecchi
(FIR) and his team of officials to Kingspan
Stadium for the BKT United Rugby
Championship game against the Dragons.
As always, Ulster Rugby would like to
remind spectators to respect the decisions
of the match officials at all times.
the sport, a background in education, and
a commitment to recruiting, developing,
and retaining referees of all levels.
In this Referee Corner, we spotlight Richard
Kerr, the Referee Development Manager
for Ulster Rugby, looking at his role, the
important part he plays in developing
referees, and his journey with the whistle.
Richard’s journey is marked by a passion for
A Former Teacher with a Passion for Rugby
Richard’s rugby journey started back in
the mid 1980s when he played mini rugby
at Coleraine RFC and then in his early
years at Coleraine Inst. He then focused
on athletics and cross-country running
where he represented Northern Ireland
and Ulster and Irish Schools, before
returning to play a bit of social rugby after
University. Richard then took the wise
decision to follow in his Father Francis’
footsteps and took up refereeing in 2001.
Following a 20 year teaching career in
Cookstown High School, Richard had
the opportunity of transitioning from
teaching to his full-time role with Ulster
Rugby in 2018 which reflects his enduring
commitment to fostering growth and
development in individuals.
Richard served on the IRFU National
Referee Panel from 2003 until 2023,
after numerous All-Ireland League and
other top flight games across Ireland and
indeed beyond!
Richard is incredibly proud of his
tenure in the Green Jersey saying
“I have officiated in some great places,
from the Stade Mayol in Toulon, and a packed
Aviva Stadium, to my very first game at
Newry RFC and a recent U18 Girls’ game
at the Palace Grounds in Armagh. A pitch
is a pitch… white lines, green grass and 30
players. Every venue is the same to me.”
As well as being a current active USRFR
referee, one key aspect of Richard’s role
as Referee Development Manager is to
recruit new referees into the USRFR across
Ulster. New Referee Courses are a key
event in Richard’s calendar, where he has
the opportunity to inspire, develop, and
support new aspiring referees who share
a love for the game of Rugby Union.
New Referee Courses consist of several
workshops, ranging from an induction
day where the Trainee Referees cover
key aspects of law, communication, and
positioning, to on-pitch sessions on
refereeing the set piece, touch judging,
and more technical aspects of game
management, including the all-important
whistle tone! These sessions are highly
engaging, and throughout the process,
new cohorts build camaraderie and share
their learning from their games.
“I have fond memories of my new-referee
course and the important wisdom that
Richard shared with me and the group.
Richard was always approachable and on
hand to answer any on-field questions
that came up from my early games. He
really encouraged us all to reflect on our
games and select a couple of areas to
improve each time we ran out into the
middle” - Rob Rees, USRFR Referee.
Spotting the Talent of Tomorrow
at all levels to progress
through the ranks. This keeps
him busy supporting the USRFR
mentoring scheme, monthly meetings,
and the Development Group of Referees,
which includes some of the rising stars
in the Society going through the IRFU’s
National Panel Development Group system
(formerly known as IPAS) as they are being
evaluated to join the IRFU National Panel
of referees, all while remaining an active
referee himself.
Richard commented, “I really enjoy
working with referees and seeing them
progress to different levels of the game.
Whether it’s a new referee obtaining
their full society membership or the
likes of our High-Performance Referees
refereeing their first professional fixture.
There have been lots of proud moments
over the years.”
Richard continues, “Recruiting and
developing our referees is important,
but so too is retaining our referees. The
USRFR works hard to ensure that we
provide a supportive environment for all
our referees by actively promoting a sense
of community. We have three area hubs
that meet each month, a social activities
committee, and lots of engaging online
activities too, with social channels to
keep us all connecting and engaging
with each other. None of this would
be possible of course without the
total support and dedication on my
colleagues in the IRFU Referee Dept, Ulster
Rugby and perhaps most importantly,
the fantastic team of volunteers we
have within the Ulster Society of Rugby
Football Referees.”
Richard isn’t just about referees, though.
He continues to work tirelessly to engage
with players, Ulster Rugby Committees,
Clubs, and Schools to provide insight
into officiating and most importantly of
all, ensure that the values of rugby are
maintained at all levels.
A true servant of the game, we love.
There is so much opportunity that
Richard, along with a group of committed
volunteers, has put in place to support new
referees. Could you be the next USRFR new
referee? If you are interested in taking up
the whistle, or indeed just want to find out
more about refereeing, please reachusing
the details below.
Recruitment is only one aspect of Richard’s
role, of which there are many. Another
key aspect is developing existing referees
If interested in becoming a Referee, please contact:
Richard Kerr
Referee Development Manager
richard.kerr@irfu.ie | 07493 868 388
U.S.R.F.R
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