Teen rugby referee set to officiate at big boys’ level
Toby Scannell is ready to blow the whistle on his first South Canterbury senior A club rugby match just a day after his 17th birthday.
Brought up in a rugby mad family, with his father Kevin a seniors referee, Scannell started playing at the age of 4.
After starting Roncalli College, he split his time between being a referee and playing before deciding he preferred refereeing.
‘‘You get a front row seat to the game and it’s an awesome pathway, you can go around the country.’’
He controlled his first Senior B match last season in a memorable game at Alpine Energy Stadium in Timaru as Celtic beat Temuka in the competition final.
The young ref will be back at the stadium on Saturday as Harlequins and Geraldine battle it out in the senior A grade.
Though not the first referee to be so young, South Canterbury Rugby Football Union (SCRFU) life member Brian Dore said Scannell was currently the only one that age to be refereeing seniors in the region.
‘‘I’m a little bit nervous but excited,’’ Scannell said.
He is not boastful but accepts it is rare for someone his age to control a top grade match.
Under the tutelage of referee coach Mike O’Brien, Scannell has learnt to be confident in himself and his decisions and manage players in different situations.
‘‘Refereeing has taught me life skills and leadership skills. I’d like to be a professional referee.’’
Because professional referee positions rarely come up, Scannell is planning to study to be a primary school teacher.
O’Brien has been refereeing for 18 years, and coaching Toby for the past four.
‘‘He’s extremely coachable. His attitude is he’s willing to learn and asks questions.’’
O’Brien said Scannell has picked up the techniques quickly.
Ideally a ref needs to have played the game to have an understanding of it and crucially had to learn to stand in the right position on the field to see what was happening, he said.
Each week Scannell and O’Brien discuss the games the teen had adjudicated, including any mistakes he may have made.
People often asked O’Brien about what happened on the sidelines but he said while refereeing the focus was on the field so refs were oblivious to what was being said.
To prepare Scannell for Saturday’s game, O’Brien had discussed what scenarios could occur and how to manage them.
O’Brien will continue to coach his protege for as long as he is needed at this level.
‘‘I think Toby will go as far as he wants to. He has to work on it, it doesn’t come easily.’’