A Day In The Refereeing Life

Now, the Kiwi whistler has transitioned to life in Scotland in the Borders for the past eight years. Scottish Rugby caught up with Chelsea before and after the recent Celtic Challenge match between Edinburgh and Gwalia Lightning to find out the how and why of a top referee.

That game ended in heartbreaking fashion – Edinburgh full-back Lucia Scott, in the 82^nd minute, was held up over the line for what would have been the match-winning try. Instead, the match finished Edinburgh 27-29 Lightning.

Pictured: Chelsea with Lightning and Edinburgh skippers pre-match for their recent encounter at Hive Stadium

“I thought those girls played amazingly out there today. That last five minutes just shows the absolute heart and courage they have. For me, it was a really enjoyable to finish a game,” Chelsea reflected.

“I mean, I don’t even know how many phases they strung together, but it was a nice tight scoreline, which is always a good battle and a challenge to make sure that you stay focused for that full 80.”

Chelsea admits refereeing wasn’t the “most normal thing to do” for a sports-mad teenager in New Zealand, but she found herself in the middle from age 15.

“My dad refereed when I was young, so I started at school. But in New Zealand, rugby is everywhere, so I grew up on the sideline with Dad coaching.

“I moved schools and got told I was too competitive to play in the netball grade I was playing. So typical me, I went on a bit of a strop and did something completely different.

“You couldn’t get much more different by refereeing really. So, I was umpiring netball before rugby. I turned to social netball, and it just wound me up – every second being pinged for something. I probably didn’t understand the rules,” she laughed.

Chelsea was “told off, a lot” during her netball career. And although she stepped away from the game to focus on her rugby, the love for netball was still there. When she was asked to fill on for a friend’s social team years later, she came to a confronting realisation.

“I realised all of a sudden, I was like, oh, after refereeing for years, I realised what refs were talking about and all of the intricate rules the game has. You just get so caught up in the game that you get frustrated, and that was when I realised, well, maybe I am a bit too competitive for social netball.”

Being one of the top officials in the country now, Chelsea brings that edge to her officiating. That begins on match day with a thoroughly planned out approach.

“To be honest, mornings (on game day) are quite good, because you can get up, have a decent breakfast and carry on with your day, as opposed to having to rush around, which is quite important for me.

Pictured: Chelsea sees a pre-match briefing with both sides as an opportunity to explain her style and answer any questions

“This morning, I took the children to the grandparents. I had some bits and pieces to do, and then it’s a nice, long drive up to Edinburgh. So, I get my time to myself in the car and listen to some rubbish music.

“It’s important that you see the officiating team and get comfortable working with them. Then I like to meet the managers and say hello, and I know I’ve met half of them before, but speaking to them again and just get a feeling of how everyone’s attitudes are for the day,” she said.

An important step in high-level matches is to set expectations with team captains beforehand, so there are no surprises during the match.

“I explain how I like to run the game. I don’t give too much away, because some of their questions can be very technical and specific, and I don’t want to pigeonhole myself if the game doesn’t go that way. I try to just referee what’s in front of me.”

While Chelsea’s journey to match officiating wasn’t the typical route, she feels there is room for anyone wanting to pick up a whistle or flag.

“Just do it. What have you got to lose? Every game needs a referee. The numbers are in short supply. I think it can take a special character to do it. It does take probably a bit of guts and courage to be a bit brave. But I think there are definitely a lot of ex-players who would be great officials, and maybe are missing a trick there.

“I think players, they go from playing to coaching, and then to reffing. I actually think if you did those last two the other way around, you’d improve your law knowledge, improve your thinking of the game, and it makes you a better coach too.

“People perceive the biggest struggle to be losing the team environment around them, but when you get ARs, you actually do end up having your own wee team. The pathways are so open for it. So, I think if anyone wants to, they should,” she added.

If you are interested in taking up match officiating, you can visit the dedicated Scottish Rugby web page here