Seconds is still the man they love to hate
NO matter what you thought of Egon Seconds as a player who once scored five tries against Griquas in a match, you might have inadvertently prepared him for his post-career life as a referee.
Seconds, the former Western Province winger, took the route rarely trodden by former players when he could no longer skin defenders and became a referee last year. He joined the likes of Glen Jackson, Rohan Hoffmann and Alain Rolland on the list of former players-turned-referees.
Despite being one of only seven players to score 50 Currie Cup tries for a single province, Seconds wasn’t everyone’s favourite.
A lot like being a referee, he discovered that there are just some people you are never going to please. That was in spite of earning a bronze Commonwealth Games medal with the
I wasn’t always everybody’s hero. I still get that abuse as a referee and it is very difficult to deal with
SA Sevens in 2002 and playing 88 times for Province between 2001 and 2008.
He says his thick skin has prepared him for the kind of job that has no accolades for a good performance but could carry the death penalty for errors if fans had their way.
“I have developed a thick skin because of the criticism I got as a player,” Seconds said.
“I wasn’t always everybody’s hero, unless I was scoring tries. I’ve learnt through those experiences.
“I still get that abuse as a referee and it is very difficult to deal with. Most Mondays after a weekend game I feel like seeing a therapist; somebody who will tell me that things are going to be OK.
“But I remind myself that I’m doing this for a bigger reason and not to crumble under the pressure. I’ve never been the kind of guy who takes criticism to heart. You’ll be the best referee to the team that wins and the one that loses is always going to have an issue.
“And the crowd is always going to be against the referee. These were all the things that were explained to me when I enrolled and they have faith in my ability to handle it.”
Other than dealing with the difficulties that come with the toughest job in sport, Seconds said the officiating has given him a chance to remain part of the game — a longing that grips most players when they retire.
“My first game was an under15 fixture — I’ll never forget it — last year between Spring Rose and Stellenberg,” he said.
“I played rugby at a very high level, but that was the most nervous I’ve ever been before a game.
“I can tell you that it was a shambles, [but] I knew I had to start somewhere. It was cold, rainy and everything counted against me. I think the universe was testing me and asking me: do you really wanna do this?”
Seconds has handled Varsity Cup Young Guns and Community Cup games in his climb towards test officiating. And he’s bumped into his old Province and Hamiltons Rugby Club teammates along the way like Bolla Conradie, but he says he’s not afraid to penalise them. Objectivity and not the tryline is now his ultimate goal.