Heard to manage Border refs

After 13 years as an onfield referee, Iain Heard moves into referees' administration, succeeding Bill Calder as Referees Development Manager for the Borders and also becomes the National Referee Academy Manager, a new post.

Heard ,who is 38 and from Gala, has been a mortgage consultant with the Stockbridge Group but now joins the staff of the Scottish Rugby Union. He fully intends continuing as an active referee.

Heard said: "Firstly I'd like to pay tribute to Bill whose enthusiasm in his ten years in the post encouraged me to become more involved in refereeing, having started helping out Rob Moffat on the PE staff at Galashiels Academy.

"The challenges I face are two-fold. Firstly, to recruit as many referees as possible and to support these referees - especially in a climate where the criticism of referees tends to be ever more vocal.

"Secondly, within the National Academy aspect of my job, to assist young and promising referees and give them every opportunity to become the best they can be."

Roy McCombe, Scottish Rugby's Referee Manager, said: "The Academy has been set up to help talented referees capable of refereeing at Premier level and beyond. The selection is taking place at the moment and we expect to have seven candidates for the start of what will be a two-year programme.

"The candidates will be based within their own referees' society and managed by Iain from Galashiels. He will be supported by two dedicated referee coaches and two mentors. The aim is to give the referees in the academy extra support and accelerate their progress through intense coaching and mentoring."