Davies riding the refereeing wave

As the curtains were being drawn on her own playing career which saw her claim 74 Welsh caps in the front row, Davies had a conversation with trail-blazing Joy Neville after a game against Ireland.

Neville had a lengthy playing career spanning 10 years with Ireland before taking up the whistle in 2013. Since then she has been the flagbearer for women’s refereeing, officiating in Europe and in a World Cup, collecting World Rugby’s Referee of the Year award in 2017 along the way.

While Neville’s career continues to flourish, Davies’ is still in the embryonic phase having  refereed for just two years.

“After retiring from playing, I tried coaching and found that I still thought I was a player and still ate like one, without doing the training,” says Davies.

“I also felt that coaching didn’t give me the buzz that playing did. So, I decided that I would have a go at taking up the whistle after speaking to Paul Adams [WRU National Referee Performance manager] he persuaded me to give it a go. And after seeing Joy do so well and heeding her advice, I thought: why not?

“I think it is important former players become referees because they have got an idea in regards to what players and coaches are trying to achieve. They are more empathetic and will attempt to get the games to flow by playing advantage,” adds Davies.

Going from poacher to gamekeeper has had its challenges for Davies but her tenacity as a player has transferred to her refereeing skills and she is enjoying officiating in North Wales.

“It was a natural move [going from playing to refereeing] in the instance that you knew what the players want to achieve – sometimes my angles of positioning were wrong as I still positioned myself as a player so therefore sometimes I got in the way.

‘So you just have to try and develop new skills to make it more fluid and that you are not in the way of the players.

Adams has been impressed with Davies’ progress since she took up the whistle two years ago but also emphasises the women’s programme collectively is heading in the right direction.

“Over the last 18 months there has been a very encouraging increase in the number of women refereeing the senior game on a regular basis,” explains Adams.“The numbers have increased from three 18 months ago to nine at present, with a further three referees refereeing age grade rugby.

“We currently have four women refereeing in the National League with two more set to make their debuts this season. Last year Francesca Martin was appointed by World Rugby to AR (assistant referee) in the Women’s Six Nations, our first appointment by World Rugby in this tournament.

“As a result of the increase in numbers a new Women’s Development squad was established this year. They have already benefited from technical sessions and once normality returns they will meet on a regular basis for psychological and physical fitness training.

“Sean Brickell (Community Match Officials Development Lead) is leading on this and he has already established an excellent work ethic which should be a great benefit to the girls next season. This year all three Women’s Finals were scheduled to be officiated by all-women teams of three, the first time that this would have occurred.

“Another first this year was the delivery of all women referee courses which proved very popular.”

Davies has been grateful for the assistance she has received from the WRU as she continues to move up the ladder.

“The WRU have been extremely supportive. Paul Adams and Sean Brickell have been really good – if I’ve had an email, they’ll respond to it so have been really helpful. The support mechanism up in North Wales has been phenomenal. Richard Morgan, who is my main assessor, is very supportive, and he gives me feedback. If I have got a problem after a game I’ll ring him and he’ll always give me advice.

“Even the other referees when we have society meetings, if I have got a problem I can chat to them and they’ll give me their take on it and they’ll say, ‘what you did was right or next time, why don’t you try this?’

“So they’re constantly giving me ideas that you can try on the pitch to make me better.”

Davies has no hesitation offering encouragement to anyone thinking about picking up the whistle.

“Give it a go. Go on a course, get in the middle,” she says. “Have a few games – you’ll know once you are on the pitch and when you have come off the pitch whether you have enjoyed it or not. I don’t think it is something you can make a decision on after just one game – you need to give a few games. It’s just like playing in that regard.”

Despite her refereeing career going on an upward trajectory, Davies is keeping her feet firmly on the ground at the moment.

“I haven’t really set myself a goal at the moment, I’m just riding the wave to see where it takes me,” she says.

Women Referees

Last season three referees officiated at National League level. Francesca Martin’s efforts in Division 2 were rewarded with an assistant referee’s appointment in last season’s Six Nations.

Kath Pritchard, who is also secretary of the Welsh Society of Rugby Referees, officiated in Division 3 and also gained experience as an assistant referee at Test match level, alongside Amanda Leah who duplicated Pritchard’s success.

The following women from part of the WRU development squad and are progressing very quickly. All have refereed at District level and Regional Age grade rugby. The goal is to referee in the National Leagues this year.

Sarah Toll

Sarah has joined the WRU from the RFU as a result of moving to Wrexham last season. Sarah has a background in refereeing and a lot is expected of her in the near future.

She refereed in the women’s flagship competition in England, the Tyrrell’s Premier 15s in 2018 and the year before, took charge of the Varsity final.

She has also refereed at international level having taken charge of Rugby Europe  Championship matches as well as taking charge of England U20s v Canada U20s in 2016.

Fiona Davies

“For the last five years I have played for COBRA Ladies. I initially got roped into a rugby session as a bit of fitness after having the kids, but instantly loved it. I have always known I can’t play forever so decided to take on refereeing a couple of years ago but not done much with it other than the odd junior game. Last year I took the decision to concentrate more on refereeing and take more of a back seat with playing, partly because I love a challenge and leading the rebel’s girls hub and I feel I could be a positive role model for girls to get into rugby and refereeing.”

Ceri Parry

“I played for Caernarfon Women and after a few years out of rugby I started coaching the junior sides at Clwb Rygbi Caernarfon. I wanted to learn more about the laws of the game and so the journey into refereeing started. I completed the Level 1 course and continued my interest by persuing to Level 2. The opportunity came along through the WRU initiative Ready to Ref. I’m learning a lot and I look forward to getting back into it once community rugby starts again.”

Amber Stamp-Dunstan

“I started playing rugby at Lydney RFC when I was six-years-old after my parent’s friends set up the tag team. I played for a variety of different clubs and the Gloucestershire county before having to give up at 16 due to a recurring shoulder injury. I started reffing in September after moving to Wales, I joined the ready to ref course I saw advertised on twitter! I haven’t looked back ever since. It’s great to be involved with the game in a different role and I’m looking forward to it all starting up again soon.”