Referee choice set to whistle up storm

A POTENTIAL refereeing controversy is brewing over the appointment of the official for tomorrow evening’s Argentina v Wales first Test in San Juan.

That’s because World Rugby have given the game to a Cardiff-born whistleblower, whose rugby hero is Wales assistant coach Rob Howley.

Andrew Brace, who says his first rugby memory is Wales’ famous win over England in 1999, grew up in the city and worked as a community development officer for Cardiff Blues.

He moved to Ireland in 2009, after studying at the University of Plymouth, and is officially an ‘Irish’ referee as he comes under the Irish Rugby Union’s jurisdication.

Brace is a former player who actually represented Belgium at scrumhalf through his father’s side of the family, before a serious ankle injury curtailed the 29-year-old’s career.

Having made his Test debut as a referee last summer in the Canada v Georgia clash, Brace had a brush with Wales in the 2018 Six Nations Championship when running the line in the Principality Stadium showdown with Italy and he was also an assistant referee for the Calcutta Cup match in Edinburgh and Scotland’s trip to Rome.

But it’s his first match in the middle for a Wales game this weekend that is attracting interest from some fans.

Podcast writer Josh Gardner said: “’The ‘Andrew Brace is Welsh but an IRFU ref’ thing is suboptimal but workable in the Pro14, but putting him in charge of a Wales Test match? That is a PR nightmare waiting to happen.”

The appointment comes just a few months after the Spain v Belgium controversy, when the crucial World Cup qualifier was given to a Romanian official, whose homeland had a vested interest in the game.

The saga ended with all three countries being deducted points for breaking eligibility rules following an Independent Inquiry, with Russia going through to Japan in 2019.

Brace actually made his PRO rugby debut taking charge of Cardiff Blues’ home clash with Zebre in September 2015.

“It was a bit strange at first. Being from Cardiff, I was more worried about the perception about being a Cardiff guy but I was happy to referee anyone,” he told the Guinness PRO14 website.

“You’re out there to do a job. Perception is such a big thing for a referee now.”

He added: “It wasn’t until I was 14 or 15 when I started playing in Cardiff that I got involved in rugby.

“I played scrum-half. I started off as a full-back and I’ve played wing over the years but scrum-half was my main position.

“Rob Howley was my rugby hero growing up. I know he’s quite modern but when I was growing up I used to love watching him play. “I took a lot of tips from him. “My first memory was England v Wales in 1999. It was at Wembley and it was a 32-31 Wales win, Scott Gibbs scored to stop England winning the Five Nations.

“I remember a random person just throwing me in the air. It will live long in the memory.”

WalesOnline contacted World Rugby for a comment, but had no reply at the time of going to press.