Jackson scores big with his whistle
New Zealand-born Saracens flyhalf Glen Jackson has been recruited to join New Zealand's professional referee ranks, the New Zealand Rugby Union announced on Friday.
NZRU High Performance Referee Manager Lyndon Bray said Jackson's signing as a fulltime professional referee will add depth and provide a new dimension to New Zealand's professional pool of referees.
"We're thrilled that Glen Jackson has chosen refereeing as the next step in his professional rugby career. It's rare that professional players at Glen's level make the move into refereeing but his skills as a player can only enhance his ability as a referee."
Jackson has played for Bay of Plenty, Chiefs, New Zealand Maori, New Zealand Barbarians and, after moving to the United Kingdom in 2004, for the London-based Saracens in the UK's Guinness Premiership. He is now the club's leading points scorer of all time in the Premiership and this follows his season in 2006/07 when he was named the Professional Rugby Players' Association Player of the Year for his 428 points in all competitions.
In that same season, Jackson won the Saracens Player of the Year Award and was the Golden Boot winner as the Premiership's top points scorer and goal-kicker.
Jackson started refereeing age grade rugby in Tauranga while playing for the Chiefs, and he continued to develop his skills in the United Kingdom where he is currently contracted to play with Saracens.
Jackson first picked up a whistle seven years ago, and since then has refereed club rugby in New Zealand and in the UK. He has completed his English RFU referee exams and is a member of the Hetfordshire Referees Society.
"It's great that England has embraced and supported Glen's desire to develop his skills in refereeing, and I am confident that support will continue over the next year," Lyndon Bray said.
Jackson has been granted special leave from Saracens to attend a New Zealand Referees training camp in Auckland this week. He will undergo the NZRU Referee Academy Training programme with a view to refereeing in the 2010 Heartland Championship.
Jackson himself is looking forward to the new challenge.
"I've enjoyed refereeing age grade rugby back home in Tauranga and in London. This is a great opportunity to continue living rugby at the top level. I am keen to create the right environment for working towards earning an opportunity to referee at Test level. I'll bring something different to the game, and I think players will recognise this," Jackson said.
It's hoped Jackson's recruitment will encourage other players to consider refereeing as a natural extension of a career in professional rugby. The NZRU hopes Jackson's move will encourage other top provincial players to follow a similar path into refereeing. Lyndon Bray said taking up the whistle while still playing rugby is an excellent way to get early experience before stepping up to more senior levels of refereeing.