Ian Smith - New ref on S14
Ian Smith of Australia is a new referee in Super 14 this year. On Saturday he will referee his second Super 14 match, in historic Kimberley.
Who is this fresh-faced Queenslander turned Sydneysider?
Ian Anthony Smith was born in Brisbane on 1 February 1979, which means he is not yet 30, and went to school there - at St Laurence's College, a boys' school founded by the Christian Brothers. From school he went on to complete a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce (Accountancy) at Queensland University of Technology in 2001, qualifying as a chartered accountant in 2003.
Now he is a chartered accountant in a public practice firm in Sydney, the same firm as referee Matt Goddard.
He played rugby for eight years at school "never to any great heights" and then stopped after leaving school because of an injury. He started refereeing in 1998 to stay involved in the game and joined the Queensland Rugby Referees' Association where he stayed a member till 2004 when he went off to Sydney and the New South Wales Rugby Referees' Association where he is still a member.
He did not start at the top. "I began refereeing Under-11s in Queensland and worked my way up to 2nd Grade in Queensland. I moved to Sydney in 2004 to take up the Australian Rugby Union Referee Scholarship for 12 months. I completed my Level 3 qualification (highest in Australia) the following year and began refereeing Premier Grade in Sydney (highest club level) in 2005."
His feet were now on the ladder to success. "I refereed several National Schoolboy Championships from 2003-2006 and two rounds of the Australian Rugby Championship (ARC) in 2007."
Then came international exposure. I refereed my first IRB 7s tournament in Adelaide in 2007 and was promoted to the Australian Rugby Union's National A Panel and began touch judging and refereeing Super 14 in 2008."
So it took ten years and hard work to get where he has arrived.
Highlights so far? His first Super 14 game - Highlanders vs Sharks) at Carisbrook on 11 April this year. Last year he refereed the Sydney Premier Grade Grand Final in 2007. He has also refereed at the IRB's Sevens World Series in Adelaide, Wellington and San Diego.
Who helped along the way? "Too many to single out, but I have had some great referee coaches over my 11 year career."
Role model? "Andrew Cole, because he was a brilliant referee and an ambassador for Australian Rugby both on and off the field - and not because he is currently the National Referee Coach!"
Why referee? "I get to contribute to the local rugby community and am involved in the game that I love. I get to watch some great games from the best seat in the house. It's also a great excuse to get out of the office."
What he wants to achieve as a referee? "My philosophy is to facilitate a fair contest, in a safe playing environment and get the big decisions right."
Here's to a long and great career - and a bit of extra interest in that match in Kimberley this Saturday.