Paddy O'Brien (rugby referee)
Encyclopedia
Paddy O'Brien ONZM
(born 19 July 1959 in Southland
, New Zealand
) is a New Zealand
international rugby union
referee, and currently head of the International Rugby Board
's Referee Board. He played his rugby as a full back and wing for Southland at Under 18 and B level, as well as Sevens, between 1976 and 1984.
O'Brien began refereeing with the Southland Referees Association in 1984 and combined that with 17 years in the New Zealand Police
force before turning professional in 1996 with his first game in the Super 12. He took charge of his first Test match on 23 October 1994 with the Rugby World Cup
qualifier between Hong Kong
and South Korea
in Kuala Lumpur
. The Koreans won 28-17. He became New Zealand’s most capped Test
official on 29 March 2003 when he officiated the Six Nations
encounter between France
and Wales
in Paris
for his 27th Test, taking him past Dave Bishop’s record. He has also officiated matches of the British and Irish Lions
, including the deciding third test on their 2001 tour to Australia
.
In 2005 he was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit
in recognition of services to rugby as a referee in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.
In 2007, O'Brien, in his capacity as Rugby World Cup
Chief Of Officials, defended criticism of the refereeing of Wayne Barnes
in the France versus New Zealand quarterfinal. Commenting on death threats made against Barnes he said "I think it's a disgrace and people have to grow up." He also accused the coach of the United States team, Peter Thorburn
, of lying when Thorburn stated that there had been a pre-tournament directive that touch judges shouldn't interfere in issues like forward passes. O'Brien later apologized to Thorburn.
In November 2009, O'Brien publicly apologized to New Zealand with regards to the refereeing performance of Stuart Dickinson
during an international match against Italy
. He subsequently issued a public apology to both Dickinson and the Australian Rugby Union
for his breach of IRB
protocol in making his comments public rather than going through official channels for commenting on referee performance.
During the 2011 Rugby World Cup
O'Brien publicly defended referee Alain Rolland's
decision to issue Wales Captain Sam Warburton a straight red card during their semi final match against France stating "Alain Rolland's decision to issue a red card was absolutely correct in law and in keeping with the clear instructions that match officials have received in recent years regarding dangerous tackling."
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
(born 19 July 1959 in Southland
Southland Region
Southland is New Zealand's southernmost region and is also a district within that region. It consists mainly of the southwestern portion of the South Island and Stewart Island / Rakiura...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
) is a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
referee, and currently head of the International Rugby Board
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
's Referee Board. He played his rugby as a full back and wing for Southland at Under 18 and B level, as well as Sevens, between 1976 and 1984.
O'Brien began refereeing with the Southland Referees Association in 1984 and combined that with 17 years in the New Zealand Police
New Zealand Police
The New Zealand Police is the national police force of New Zealand, responsible for enforcing criminal law, enhancing public safety, maintaining order and keeping the peace throughout New Zealand...
force before turning professional in 1996 with his first game in the Super 12. He took charge of his first Test match on 23 October 1994 with the Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
qualifier between Hong Kong
Hong Kong national rugby union team
The Hong Kong national rugby union team is a third tier rugby union side. Hong Kong first played in 1969 and since then have always been in the group of the best Asian teams. Their team is made mostly from British origin players, with some natives from Hong Kong. They have yet to qualify for the...
and South Korea
Korea national rugby union team
The Korea national rugby union team represents South Korea in international rugby union. The team is recognized as Korea by the International Rugby Board. Korea has yet to make their debut at the Rugby World Cup finals....
in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
. The Koreans won 28-17. He became New Zealand’s most capped Test
Test match (rugby union)
Test match in rugby union is a match recognised as being a full international match by at least one of the participating teams' governing bodies. It is an unofficial but widely used term in the sport....
official on 29 March 2003 when he officiated the Six Nations
Six Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
encounter between France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
and Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
for his 27th Test, taking him past Dave Bishop’s record. He has also officiated matches of the British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
, including the deciding third test on their 2001 tour to Australia
2001 British Lions tour to Australia
The 2001 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia was a series of matches played by the British Lions rugby union team in Australia.This tour followed the Lions' 1997 tour to South Africa and preceded the 2005 tour to New Zealand....
.
In 2005 he was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
in recognition of services to rugby as a referee in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.
In 2007, O'Brien, in his capacity as Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
Chief Of Officials, defended criticism of the refereeing of Wayne Barnes
Wayne Barnes
Wayne Barnes is an English international rugby union referee. He was educated at Whitecross School in Lydney, where he was head boy, Monmouth School and at the University of East Anglia. He became a professional referee in April 2005, giving up a career in law to do so...
in the France versus New Zealand quarterfinal. Commenting on death threats made against Barnes he said "I think it's a disgrace and people have to grow up." He also accused the coach of the United States team, Peter Thorburn
Peter Thorburn
Peter Thorburn is a New Zealand rugby union coach. He worked previously for New Zealand national rugby union team and was also a coach, then Director of Rugby at English club Bristol Rugby from 2001 to 2003...
, of lying when Thorburn stated that there had been a pre-tournament directive that touch judges shouldn't interfere in issues like forward passes. O'Brien later apologized to Thorburn.
In November 2009, O'Brien publicly apologized to New Zealand with regards to the refereeing performance of Stuart Dickinson
Stuart Dickinson
Stuart Dickinson is a former Australian rugby referee. He made his international refereeing debut in 1997 in a Rugby World Cup qualifier between Tahiti and Papua New Guinea....
during an international match against Italy
Italy national rugby union team
The Italy national rugby union team represent the nation of Italy in the sport of rugby union. The team is also known as the Azzurri . Italy have been playing international rugby since the late 1920s, and since 2000 compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland,...
. He subsequently issued a public apology to both Dickinson and the Australian Rugby Union
Australian Rugby Union
The Australian Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. It was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Rugby Board the sport's governing body. It consists of eight member unions, representing each state and territory...
for his breach of IRB
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
protocol in making his comments public rather than going through official channels for commenting on referee performance.
During the 2011 Rugby World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
O'Brien publicly defended referee Alain Rolland's
Alain Rolland
Alain Colm Pierre Rolland is an Irish rugby union referee and former player.During his playing days as a scrum-half, Rolland earned three caps for . He started the match on 27 October 1990 against , and gained further caps as a replacement against in 1994 and the USA in 1995. He won 40 provincial...
decision to issue Wales Captain Sam Warburton a straight red card during their semi final match against France stating "Alain Rolland's decision to issue a red card was absolutely correct in law and in keeping with the clear instructions that match officials have received in recent years regarding dangerous tackling."