A team of highly experienced New Zealand rugby referees from the Bay of Plenty Rugby region is set to travel to Sri Lanka to provide essential traini
A team of highly experienced New Zealand rugby referees from the Bay of Plenty Rugby region is set to travel to Sri Lanka to provide essential training and development for local rugby referees. This initiative arrives at the perfect time, just before the start of the 2024/25 Sri Lanka Club Rugby Season, with the goal of raising the standard of officiating across the island.
The team includes a referee educator and a performance coach panel comprising Sam Fellows, Sam Thompson, and Sean Curragh. These accomplished officials bring a wealth of experience to the program, which is being led by Sri Lankan-born Krishan Ambawatte, now residing in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.
Here’s a closer look at the expertise they bring to Sri Lanka:
- Sam Fellows, a Level-2 referee, has an impressive 21 years of experience. He has officiated for the Auckland, Waikato, and Southern California Rugby Unions (USA). His résumé includes officiating (Referee/AR/TMO) 39 New Zealand First Class games, 110 Provincial Premier games, and three World Rugby Sevens tournaments. Notable highlights from his career include refereeing the Bay of Plenty Premier Final and officiating at the Coral Coast Sevens in Fiji. In addition to his on-field experience, Fellows has spent 10 years as a coach, which will further enrich the training he provides to Sri Lankan referees.
- Sam Thompson boasts over 18 years of refereeing experience, having been affiliated with Poverty Bay, Manawatū, Horowhenua-Kāpiti, and currently the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union. With over 40 New Zealand First Class games (Referee & AR) and 144 Provincial Premier games under his belt, Thompson was ranked as the number one referee in the Horowhenua-Kāpiti Rugby Union from 2018 to 2023. He has officiated in three Premier finals and two Hurricane Zone College Boys Finals, cementing his status as a top-tier referee.
- Sean Curragh, also from the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union, brings seven years of refereeing experience to the table. His career includes refereeing the Bay of Plenty Premier Development Final, participating in the World School Festival in Thailand in 2023, and serving as an assistant referee for National NPC games. He has officiated five Provincial Premier games and is rapidly building a strong reputation in the sport.
Krishan, an engineering project manager with experience as a national touch referee and assistant referee at the provincial rugby premier level, has long been passionate about rugby officiating. In 2020, when he first picked up the rugby referees’ whistle, he envisioned bringing experienced New Zealand referees to Sri Lanka to elevate local officiating standards—entirely free of charge. Now, four years later, that dream is becoming a reality. Earlier this year, Krishan reached out to Sri Lanka Rugby Referees to organise this program, offering his support to make it happen, ensuring Sri Lankan referees receive world-class training without cost.
This team has generously volunteered their time and expertise to share their knowledge and help develop aspiring referees in Sri Lankan rugby, ensuring they are well-prepared for the upcoming season and potential opportunities in international games. In addition to the training sessions, the New Zealand referees will also officiate several matches during their visit, further contributing to the growth of Sri Lanka’s rugby landscape.
This collaboration between New Zealand and Sri Lanka marks a significant step toward raising the standard of rugby officiating on the island. The program is expected to create lasting benefits for both nations, fostering stronger ties and enhancing the quality of refereeing for years to come.
Sean Curragh “I think the benefits of this program for the Sri Lankan referees is awesome. To have referees coming over from New Zealand to pass on our knowledge and experience to them will be a great opportunity for all involved. To grow a connection between Bay of Plenty rugby referees club and Sri Lankan rugby referees will be great and hopefully influence Sri Lankan referees to come out to us one year and referee our footy and they can teach us a few things aswell to help us grow! As a young referee of 19 years of age I am super keen to get more young boys and girls into refereeing so hopefully this trip will inspire a few people to give it a go and pick up a whistle.”
Dinka (President – Sri Lanka Society of Rugby Football Referees): “I believe that the expertise and experience of New Zealand rugby referees will be invaluable in providing our local officials with valuable insights into the game, modern refereeing techniques, and the latest rule interpretations. By learning from these highly skilled referees, our own officials will be better equipped to officiate at the highest levels of domestic and asia rugby tournaments. We look forward to welcoming our New Zealand referee colleagues to Sri Lanka and to the positive impact that their presence will have on the development of rugby refereeing in our country.”
Sam Thompson “This is a great opportunity to empower SL referees to make good decisions on the field to enable good rugby, and be competitive on the world stage. I’m excited to learn more about Sri Lanka as a country, build relationships, and showcase different pathways as a rugby official.”
Sam Fellows “I am thrilled to be part of this initiative to work with referees, coaches and officials across Sri Lanka as well as getting to referee at the highest level in Sri Lanka. This project holds immense potential for the development of rugby in Sri Lanka, offering significant benefits not only for the referees but also for teams and administrators. By fostering a collaborative exchange program we aim to enhance the skills and knowledge of Sri Lankan referees and coaches, providing them with the tools and expertise needed to excel in the sport.
I hope this initiative will create future opportunities for both Sri Lankan and Bay of Plenty referees and coaches, allowing them to learn from each other and grow together. My hope is that our time in Sri Lanka leads to real benefits for all referees and helps that achieve there goals. This project also aims to attract new referees to pick up the whistle, ensuring a steady influx of fresh talent into the sport. By highlighting the significance of this initiative and showcasing the future opportunities it presents, we hope to inspire more individuals to become involved in rugby, contributing to the growth and success of the sport in Sri Lanka and beyond.”
