Page 31 - QARANC Vol 14 No 6 2013

THE GAZETTE QARANC 29
have had in my short career have been varying but exciting. Travel is certainly one thing you have to be willing to do and strangely from the north east of England everything is a long drive, slightly closer to home an opportunity lead me to be assistant referee for the England v Scotland U20s women during the six nations. 2011 I saw some sunshine games when I was assistant referee for the Army v Navy Women’s match followed by going out to Cyprus to referee at the Akrotiri 10s competition. The competitions were thoroughly enjoyable some fast flowing rugby, sunshine and a great atmosphere everyone was there for the right reasons. Later that year I refereed at the UK School Games in Sheffield which was a 7s competition for u18s girls rugby, the best players from across the UK representing their regions.
Not bad for my first full season as a referee, it got better February 2012 something all rugby players and officials dream of being involved in an international game at the home of
English Rugby, Twickenham. England Women would follow the men’s six nation game against Wales playing their counterparts and I was there as 5th Official, which is a role to support the referee with the off pitch administration from substitutions, sin-binned players, time keeping and ensuring each international squad conforms with proper etiquette for the previously mentioned actions.
Internationals were the theme for 2012 in April I was selected to referee for England v France U20 women at Hartbury College a game I will never forget for the horrific weather conditions and the French players laughing at my attempts to speak French with a Geordie accent. I had been appointed to referee at the European 7s in Belgium, June 2012 however due to my commitments to my Army career and being at ATC Pirbright I did not attend. Which was disappointing however as many others before me have said and will continue to say we are ‘Soldiers first, Sportsmen/women second’.
My patience was rewarded when I was appointed to referee the Combined Services remembrance game against the Australian Services Rugby team in Wales, this was a first not only for me but also for service rugby being the first former player to then officiate the game. It was a surreal feeling having played alongside or against most of the girls to then referee them, but I guess it gave me a greater empathy for the game having now been involved from all three perspectives. I was also involved in the U20 men’s inter-services when I took control of the Navy v RAF game, which was my first time wearing the infamous
‘red shirt’ this time as a referee but soon to follow was that as a player against Scotland women in something that looked like a discovering channel weather documentary.
So what’s next in my refereeing and QA journey.....well hopefully I will continue to develop my nursing skills and the next 3 years at university will fly by so I can be qualified and accept new challenges as a qualified QA nurse. Sports wise I’d like to possibly get my cap as an Army player, while enjoying playing corps rugby for the AMS and getting more people involved and helping the squad develop.
My key sporting aim is promotion refereeing with a hope to be selected to be an official at the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2014 in France. This is an official International Rugby Board event and brings the world best teams to take part. Both England and New Zealand are the favourites but the competition is wide-open, games very physical and very fast.
Being a referee at the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup and a lot of hard work has the potential of putting me in contention to be selected as and official at the 2016 Olympics in Rio where Rugby 7s will make its first appearance. I know it is going to take an awful lot of hard work, sacrifice and support to get there but I’m headed in the right direction so far.
For those of you who have never met me you will usually hear me before you see me on the rugby pitch as height was not on the cards for me, but who doesn’t love a Geordie accent?
Pte Nikky O’Donnell
Student Nurse