My Life in Rugby: Andrew Small – former RFU elite panel referee

Refereeing the Army-Navy game in front of a full house at Twickenham, with my wife and kids in the crowd, was a brilliant way to end my days with the whistle. The best games are the ones where you’re almost redundant because both sides want to play within the law. This 29-29 draw was a classic case in point.
I’ve now returned to my former profession of teaching at Grove Independent School, near Milton Keynes, so life has gone full circle. Like any working environment there have been challenges throughout my refereeing career but, a month into retirement, there’s immense satisfaction that I refereed so many first-class games – nearly 300 – over the best part of two decades and enjoyed pretty much every minute.
It would be remiss of me not to thank everyone who has supported me throughout my career. Without these people none of what I achieved would’ve been possible.
Coming from New Zealand I was brought up with running rugby – I was a fly-half/wing until a broken collar bone ended my playing days – and refereeing that style of game comes more naturally to me than, perhaps, it does to others.
Having a good rapport with the players was another aspect that was extremely important to me, and I had to smile when Joe Marler once asked me during a match if I’d worn white boots for a bet. The video clip went viral.
My involvement with refereeing began in 1993 when I signed up as a member of the referee’s society at Otago Uni. After graduating I stayed on in Dunedin and taught at Otago Boys’ School. I was housemaster to a certain Richard McCaw.
Richie hadn’t played for Canterbury‘s senior team when I made my first-class debut officiating between them and Southland in draining, challenging, icy conditions in Invercargill.
Every time you move up a level you’re tested, in that respect it’s no different to being a player. You just have to trust in your processes. Within a few months of emigrating to the UK, I was an RFU National Panel referee. Then, in May 2006, I got my first taste of the Premiership, an absolutely fantastic competition that I’ve had the privilege to experience over 120 times. It’s the hardest competition in the world to referee because the teams are so similar in approach, the partisan crowds are so close and there are the notorious club rivalries.
The game that stands out is the semi-final between Harlequins and Northampton in May 2012. Funnily enough, Joe Marler was at the centre of the action again. He dived over to score what appeared a last-gasp, match-winning try but it was difficult to see if he’d clearly grounded the ball among a pile of legs.
Fortunately, I asked the right question and between myself and the TMO we got to the right outcome, and Quins made it through to their first Premiership final. The noise was incredible.
Refereeing also took me to all corners of the world, on the World Rugby Sevens Series and in 15s. My Test debut was a World Cup qualifier between Czech Republic and Spain in 2006. I remember standing there listening to the anthems and thinking, ‘I’ve got to referee this’. I’ve also refereed on a Russian Air force base with jets flying overhead – pretty cool.
The highlight, though, has to be back-to-back Tests between South Africa and Italy. Eight years after arriving at Heathrow with all my possessions in a backpack, I was stood next to Victor Matfield and Sergio Parisse, two giants of the game, representing English referees. Surreal.
I also had the honour of running touch for a Tri-Nations game between New Zealand and South Africa. Other than perhaps England v France, they don’t come any bigger.