Congrats to:

ROBERT BLOOMFIELD – from Dunmurry recieves an MBE for his voluntary services to Rugby Union in Northern Ireland.

Former Ireland and British Lions star TREVOR RINGLAND is made an MBE for his contribution to Community Relations in Northern Ireland. Capped 31 times by Ireland, Ringland is involved with Peace Players International, an organisation devoted to promoting unity between Catholics and Protestants in Belfast through sport.

Nice to see grass roots people nominated and awarded.

With so many referee folk out there serving the community, perhaps we should be more proactive in nominating people for these awards. I can think of a few people who are devoted to rugny refereeing, for no financial gain and often little thanks.

Know anyone? Here’s how: http://www.honours.gov.uk/nominate.aspx

… playing around with the look. Bare with me if you see strange things happening!

Hello dear readers

Just a quick note to wish you all the very best in whatever you get up to this Christmas time.

Have a great time and a fantastic whistle-filled 2009!

Steve Walsh facing a yellow card
Monday 15th December 2008
New Zealand referee Steve Walsh is once again in trouble, this time for reportedly turning up drunk to a SANZAR refereeing conference.

The New Zealand Herald said that Walsh was reported to have turned up drunk for a morning session of the conference in Sydney earlier this month, whereupon he was asked to leave.

Later in the day, he returned to the conference, but was told not to attend the following day’s ‘referees only’ session.

Neither Walsh nor the NZRU has commented on the matter, with the union following protocol in not commenting on personnel disputes.

Walsh has twice been suspended in his career for verbal abuse of players, once with England coach Dave Reddin during the 2003 Rugby World Cup and once with Ireland wing Shane Horgan during the 2005 B&I Lions tour.

Walsh has also been subject of fitness concerns, missing out on June Tests and Tri-Nations appointments because of a lack of fitness and then pulling a hamstring ahead of his November matches.

Source: http://www.planet-rugby.com/Story/0,18259,3551_4648826,00.html

(hat tip: BigJ)

I may be a little absent from here over the next few weeks. Here’s the reason:

I’m a very proud father of Seth Iorwerth Refblog and will naturally be a little busy.

Have good matches, wherever and whatever you end up doing in the next few weeks.

From the BBC website.  An interesting article. I have an interest to declare as my brother is gay and a lot of Nigel’s story resonates with what I saw him go through (apart from the rugby refereeing bits!!)

Gay referees coming out ordeal

In his new autobiography, he details the fear he felt before taking the decision and how being gay drove him to attempt suicide as a young man.

Raised in the village of Mynyddcerrig in Carmarthenshire, he made his Rugby World Cup debut last year, and is the first openly gay man to referee at the highest level.

Hanner Amser (Half Time) has just been published, but Mr Owens said he took some convincing to write it.

“When you do a book, especially an autobiography, you’ve got to be honest about stuff,” he told BBC Wales.

“I had an e-mail from a young guy off Facebook who had gone through the same thing I had gone through – he was gay and could not tell his parents.

“But they found out through television that I was gay and their attitude towards gay people had changed.

“He felt more comfortable that he could tell them so he did so and was accepted pretty well.”

He told the Jamie and Louise programme: “I felt maybe if it helps someone along the way I would not like people to go through what I went through all those years ago.”

Old fashioned

Mr Owens said he was in his late teens or early twenties before he knew for certain he was gay.

“I was brought in a small community pretty much in an old fashioned way. I was not really up to speed about what was going on in the modern world – coming from that sort of community.

“The long and short of it is I did not want to be gay. I did not know what these feelings were at first – then realised what they were and thought ‘I do not want to be like this’.

“It was in a time – 10 or 15 years ago – when it wasn’t as easy to be a gay person then as it is now. Not that it’s easy now, but it is more acceptable.”

As well as anecdotes from his upbringing and refereeing career Mr Owens talks about how being gay drove him to take an overdose and how if a police helicopter had not found him he would not be here today.

Long trek to the far South West last weekend. Long journey but a great game of rugby and a pleasure to be involved in. Games like that make you remember why we do what we do.

Real heat of battle, neither wise gave up, the winners being the visitors, by the smallest of margins.

I also met a new friend – and still I don’t know his name. Again, just for a few minutes, we had a chat about rugby and remembered why we do what we do. We help allow people to enjoy the game we are involved in. Sometimes the like us, sometimes they don’t, but  no matter which they do, I’m pretty confident that they appreciate our involvement. Long may that continue!

Wales wing Shane Williams has been named the International Rugby Board Player of the Year for 2008. He received the prize at the IRB Awards ceremony in association with Emirates Airline, which was held in London on Sunday evening.

The 31-year-old, who scored six tries during the 2008 Six Nations to break the Wales all-time try scoring record, is the first Welshman to pick up the most prestigious individual award on the Rugby calendar.

Williams fought off stiff competition from New Zealand fly half and 2005 IRB Player of the Year Dan Carter, his Wales teammate Ryan Jones, Scotland scrum half Mike Blair and Italy captain Sergio Parisse to win the nomination from the IRB Awards judging panel convened by double Rugby World Cup winner John Eales.

“It’s quite mad to be honest,” said Williams moments after receiving the award. “It’s been a hell of a year and this has just capped it off really. It’s the biggest honour you can get as an individual in rugby and it’s totally overwhelming.”

On an evening of celebration and reflection at the ceremony hosted at Old Billingsgate, Williams’ success prevented a clean-sweep for New Zealand of the top awards as New Zealand reclaimed the IRB Team of the Year award while Graham Henry was named IRB Coach of the Year.

New Zealand multiple winners 

For the All Blacks and Henry, the awards cap a tremendous year that saw the team bounce back from a disappointing Rugby World Cup to win the Tri Nations in 2008. To date New Zealand has a record 12 wins from 14 Test matches with the possibility of a successful grand slam tour of the northern hemisphere on the cards if they beat England at Twickenham on November 29.

“It’s been very satistfying,” said Henry reflecting on the year and his award. “There have been 15 or so players who left us after the Rugby World Cup to play in this part of the world so it’s great to have a team that’s relatively young and inexperienced come through and do the business.” 

Continuing a successful evening for New Zealand, DJ Forbes was named IRB Sevens Player of the Year. A key player in New Zealand’s dominance of the eight-round Grand Prix style Series, captain Forbes led by example, scoring 130 points as his side claimed the title for the eighth time in nine seasons.

New Zealand’s evening of awards was rounded off with promising talent Luke Braid winning the IRB Junior Player of the Year. The new category, introduced to reflect performances at the IRB Junior World Championship which made its debut in 2008, was hugely competitive with Braid facing stiff competition from teammate Chris Smith and England’s Joe Simpson for the prestigious age grade accolade.

More Awards winners

The International Rugby Players’ Association (IRPA) Special Merit award went to former Argentina captain Agustin Pichot. This was in recognition for his tremendous service to the Game on and off the field and in particular his role over the last decade in helping drive Argentina into the top five of the world. The IRPA Try of the Year was awarded to the Irish team and Brian O’Driscoll who scored a wonderful try against Australia in June.

The IRB Women’s Personality of the Year was awarded to Carol Isherwood OBE, one of the driving forces behind England’s success on and off the field over the past decade and a champion of the global development of the Women’s Game. The IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service was awarded to 1999 and 2003 Rugby World Cup final referee and SA Rugby Referee Manager Andre Watson.

The Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service went to former Australia international Sir Nicolas Shehadie OBE, the Spirit of Rugby Award was presented to Roelien Muller and Patrick Cotter, organisers of the Phuket 10s who raise funds for orphans of the 2004 Tsunami. The IRB Development Award was given to the TAG Rugby Development Trust who introduce thousands of children to Rugby in Africa and India each year through the non-contact form of the Game.

The ceremony also saw the announcement of five inductees into the IRB Hall of Fame. Established in 2006 to chronicle the achievements and the special contribution of Rugby’s players, coaches, administrators, match officials, institutions and individuals, the 2008 inductees are; 1888 Natives Team of New Zealand and their captain Joe Warbrick, Melrose Club and Ned Haig, British Lions legend Dr Jack Kyle, Argentina great Hugo Porta and France’s record breaker Philippe Sella.

You can catch video highlights from the ceremony on http://www.irb.com on Monday, 24 November.

IRB Awards 2008

IRB Player of the Year: Shane Williams (Wales)

IRB Team of the Year: New Zealand

IRB Coach of the Year: Graham Henry (New Zealand)

IRB Junior Player of the Year: Luke Braid (New Zealand)

IRB Sevens Player of the Year: DJ Forbes (New Zealand)

Spirit of Rugby Award: Roelien Muller and Patrick Cotter

Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: Sir Nicholas Shehadie

IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Andre Watson

IRB International Women’s Personality of the Year: Carol Isherwood

IRB Development Award: Tag Rugby Development Trust and Martin Hansford

IRPA Special Merit Award: Agustin Pichot

IRPA Try of the Year: Brian O’Driscoll, Australia v Ireland

IRB Hall of Fame inductees: 1888 Natives Team of New Zealand & Joe Warbrick, Melrose & Ned Haig, Dr Jack Kyle, Hugo Porta and Philippe Sella.

Thursday night and I’m just back from a recovery swim down the gym. Midweek games can really throw the body!

Was in the home counties doing a Uni game against an invitational side. A 75 point thriller!  In sticky conditions my legs hurt a bit today – bloody speed demons some of those buggers!! Swim seems to have done good, but only another 36 hours and Im back in action down in the south west (shocker!)

Hey ho! Another pool session when I get to my hotel and then I’m ready to rock!

No pressure, only the panel manager there for company. On the sides, so let’s hope he’s busy ARing and not concentraing on yours truly. (He’s too good for that, but I live in hope!)