Interview With....

STUART DICKINSON

Stuart Dickinson is one of the world's elite referees. He has now controlled 43 test matches, after making his debut on 8 February 1997, at Port Moresby with the Papua New Guinea- Tahiti match. This was a World Cup qualifier and the locals won that game by 92-6. It was a far cry from the bear-pits he has faced as he climbed up the refereeing ranks. Now one of the 17 or so whistle blowers who handle all of the major games throughout the world, Dickinson enjoys his place in the game. Born in Sydney's northern suburbs, the 41 year old referee attended well known rugby school, Epping Boys High school.  Wallabies Brett Papworth (16 Tests) and Ian Williams (17 Tests) were  also students at the school in those days. He began his refereeing career at 12 years of age while still playing first five and fullback in the school teams.  He moved on to the Sydney grade scene and made his first class debut 15 years ago in 1994.

 Among the referees for the first Super Rugby tournament in 1996, Dickinson has been at the coal- face ever since and has no plans to retire as yet. After leaving school, he has worked as a site manager for transport company, Linfox and spent seven years as an officer with the NSW police force.  Employed as a fulltime referee by the Australian Rugby Union since 1996, Dickinson, his wife Fiona and their three children, live close to where he grew up. He is Australia's most capped referee and the only Australian to referee at three World Cups, 1999, 2003 and 2007.  Some English fans haven't forgiven him for disallowing the Mark Cueto ’try’ in the 2007 World Cup final when he was the TMO. TV replays proved that the decision was correct as the foot of the English left winger was on the sideline before he touched down.  Barry Ross caught up with the personable Dickinson just five days after he spoke at the Townsville District Rugby Referees dinner in North Queensland on 2 October.

 BR- Which New Zealand referees have you admired over the years?
 SD- There are several. Colin Hawke was a standout. He was a great referee and a gentleman as well. Paul Honiss, Paddy O'Brien and Dave Bishop were also top class referees.

 BR- Should referees be made more accountable in our game?
 SD- I don't think they can be made any more accountable than what they are at the moment. You have to remember that like players and everyone else on the planet, referees are human and do make mistakes. We can be dropped if our mistake rate is too high.

 BR- Do you analyse your own performance after a game?
 SD- Yes I do. I have a pre-match plan and I look at a replay. Also our efforts are reviewed after every match, which is different to the average worker who might only have a review after a year in the job.  There is nowhere for us to hide and we are always being scrutinised, usually by at least 40,000 plus pairs of eyes.

 BR- What impact is Steve Walsh having in Australia?
 SD- He is going well. I caught up with him recently and I believe things are positive for him. He is addressing his demons and is putting himself in a position, after good performances on the first grade scene, to be looked at for higher honours. He may receive international postings in the future but this is someone else's decision. If he is living in Australia and the officials feel he is good enough to do the job, than I have no problems with him being appointed at any level.

 BR- How competitive are referees? Do they get along well off the field?
 SD- Like most people in any line of work, we are competitive. But on saying that, we all get on well off the field. Because of personality differences, it is human nature to be closer to some people than others. The IRB are always encouraging us to work as a team.

 BR- Do you get together much with the referees from other countries?
 SD- At IRB level we are continually receiving helpful correspondence from them. There is a yearly conference in London, which is 10 November this year. The independent refereeing panel attend this. The SANZAR referees also often talk together. The IRB continually communicate with us and when you are on the road, you often discuss ideas and thoughts with your colleagues.

 BR-  What are the similar characteristics referees tend to share?
 SD- We are positive in nature, the half glass full types, not half  glass empty. We have strong resilience and are good decision makers.  We usually have a clear understanding of ourselves.

 BR- What makes a good ref?
 SD- Good managers of people with a good understanding of human  frailties. Obviously you also need an excellent understanding of the game and be able to ascertain things quickly from your observations.

 BR- Are we too reliant on technology nowadays?
 SD- No, I don't believe so. The game is fully professional now and people expect the correct decisions. I will always try to make a decision before going to the TV official as a back-up. Sometimes you are just not in a position to make the call and you need the technology. As a ref, you want to be in the best position to see everything but sometimes this doesn't happen. The modern game has got quicker and you do need some help occasionally.

 BR- What did you think about the decision not to use TMOs in the Air  New Zealand Cup this season?
 SD- It is an internal decision for the New Zealand Union. I am not privy to why they did this, but maybe it is based on the cost factor.

 BR- What are some of the negatives with being a top referee?
 SD- The travel can be tedious, particularly when going from our part  of the world to Europe. Also you are alone a lot, so you have to be good in your own company. I miss my family, so thank goodness for skype. You often receive negative publicity and you are an easy target for people looking for excuses for a loss. Still, that is part of the job and you have to deal with it.

 BR- What about the positives?
 SD- The game itself is great and the camaraderie and ethos of rugby  add to the enjoyment. The people you meet is a real plus, while the personal growth and life experiences far outweigh the negatives.  In 2002 I refereed Wales against Fiji and I will never forget after the game, in a small Welsh village, the Fijians singing with the locals.

 BR- Is the pay rate for the elite referees available to the public?
 SD- No it isn't.

 BR- What are your plans after you finish refereeing?
 SD- I have a degree in Business Administration and I am presently  studying for  a Masters degree in Sports Management by correspondence.  I have no plans to retire yet and the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand is  a goal for me. At the moment, I have a part time position as Building Development manager for the Dexion company in Sydney. They also have an office in New Zealand.

 BR- What about training? How much time goes into rugby related matters?
 SD- At least four days a week I do several hours of physical stuff,  plus there is the game day. I do have a rest day in season, but even on that day, I do something physical.

 BR- Have you any funny memories from incidents during your games?
 SD- During the Wales-South Africa test at Wembley in 1998, a streaker  interrupted play, while around 2000 I was doing a Wellington versus  Bulls Super Rugby game in Pretoria when a guy in a safari suit raced  on to the field. I was trying to hold him back from a ruck so play could continue and after the game, the refereeing assessor had a laugh with me, at my efforts to keep the guy away from the play.

 BR- What are some of your best Test memories?
 SD- There are many of these. The 2007 World Cup Wales-Fiji pool game at Nantes was fantastic to control. Both sides were very positive and nine tries were scored as the Fijians won 38-34.  The Wales -South Africa test at the old Wembley in November 1998 was an honour to do, as was the third South Africa-Lions test in July this year at Johannesburg. The Lions played really well in this match to win 29-8, while the big home crowd let me know who they were supporting.

 BR- Finally what are your commitments in the next few month in Europe.
 SD- I go to Milan for the All Blacks-Italy Test on 14 November and  then I am off to Lisbon for a Portugal-Argentine Jaguars clash. The All Blacks game will be played at the San Siro Guiseppe Meazza Stadium, which is the home of two of Italy's most well known soccer teams, AC Milan and Inter (or Internazionale). It is Italy's biggest stadium and the third biggest in Europe. This venue can hold over 85,000 fans so I am really looking forward to the day. My wife is coming with me on this trip and it will be good that she can visit such interesting countries as Italy and Portugal.