Blowing the whistle for rugby

How did a farm kid from a little country school near Pa¯ tea get to referee at the Rugby World Cup in Japan?

Taranaki man Paul Williams is still trying to figure that one out.

He is about to move into his new Oakura home after officiating at three pool games: England v Tonga, Fiji v Georgia, and Argentina v USA.

He would have had the whistle for the Uruguay v Canada game too had it not been cancelled due to Typhoon Hagibis.

The tournament was the pinnacle of his professional career so far, he said.

‘‘I grew up on a dairy farm at Whenuakura and somehow bluffed my way to a Rugby World Cup,’’ he said.

‘‘It was pretty unreal.’’

In 2011 Williams thought the nearest he would get to a RWC was as a volunteer match day assistant. Eight years on, the former ‘‘mouthy’’ Southern Rugby Club halfback has refereed all levels from under-six grade to internationals.

Williams, 34, was on the sideline as a substitution controller for the RWC final.

Being alongside the Springbok substitutions bench, Williams saw up close the emotions of the teams. ‘‘Every time the Springboks scored points, won a turnover, stole a lineout the subs would be standing up cheering.

‘‘As South Africa kept the foot on the throat there was more worry and concern on the English players faces.’’

After the final he was presented with a RWC medal by World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont.

A talking point at the RWC was the high tackle interpretations by match officials, with the number of red cards given out higher than previous tournaments. Williams said the law wasn’t difficult to referee and the flurry of red cards was an unfortunate coincidence – not part of deliberate act by World Rugby.

‘‘The public saw it as overreaction by match officials,’’ he said. ‘‘Rugby is a physical sport with big collisions and players can do everything right but through no fault of their own will make contact above the shoulder.’’

Between matches he relaxed with family in Tokyo, and ignored social media.

Williams said he loved the job and was just as passionate about the game as he was as a five-yearold running around Ha¯wera’s Hicks Park.

‘‘I’m involved in a sport I’ve been wrapped up in all my life and rugby has helped me develop as a person. It’s the best seat in the house.’’

ANDY JACKSON/STUFF Taranaki rugby referee Paul Williams says commonsense was needed in deciding whether high tackles were deliberate or not.

GETTY IMAGES Williams, centre, with assistant referee Shuhei Kobu, left, consult the television match official during the RWC game between England and Tonga.

GETTY IMAGES Williams checks if Manu Tuilagi of England grounds the ball during the Rugby World Cup 2019 Group C game between England and Tonga.