History
History of the Wellington Rugby Referees Association
The Wellington Rugby Referees Association (WRRA) was first established in 1894, making it one of New Zealand’s oldest referee organisations. Initially, referees were appointed on an ad-hoc basis, often by agreement between teams, but as the game evolved, the need for a more structured refereeing body became evident.
By 1900, the WRRA had formed an Appointments Committee and an Examination and Classification Committee, with a Qualifications Committee following in 1901. However, disputes between referees, clubs, and the Wellington Rugby Football Union (WRFU) led to the association’s disbandment in 1913. A year later, in 1914, the current WRRA was re-established with a stronger relationship with the WRFU and New Zealand Rugby.
Growth and Development
Through the 20th century, the WRRA continued to develop, with its referees playing an increasingly important role at the highest levels of the game. The association has been home to some of New Zealand’s most respected referees, with several officiating at the Test Match level and later at the Rugby World Cup.
Have a read of this fascinating Club Rugby article about the WRRA History
Wellington’s Test Match Referees
Since the early days of international rugby, WRRA referees have been entrusted with officiating at the highest level, including All Blacks test matches, Rugby World Cups, and international tournaments across multiple continents.
From G.C. Fache in 1894, officiating New Zealand’s first-ever test against New South Wales, to modern-day referees like Mike Fraser and Ben O’Keeffe, Wellington has consistently produced world-class match officials.
Across the 20th century, WRRA referees such as J.L. Simpson, A.E. Neilson, J.S. King, and E.W.T. Tindall took charge of key All Blacks fixtures, including series against South Africa, Australia, and the British & Irish Lions.
During the professional era, Wellington referees continued to play a prominent role, with names like P.A. McDavitt, G.L. Harrison, C.J. Dainty, Steve Walsh, Lyndon Bray, Chris Pollock, and Garratt Williamson officiating test matches in New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, Australia, South Africa, and Europe.
In recent years, Mike Fraser and Ben O’Keeffe have carried on this legacy, refereeing in Super Rugby, Six Nations, The Rugby Championship, and multiple Rugby World Cups.
The WRRA remains proud of its tradition of developing elite referees and continues to support the next generation of match officials at all levels of the game.
