Gala ref goes to Georgia

Ginger-haired and young, Andrew McMenemy is off to Tblissi this weekend to referee a top European Nations Cup match between Georgia and Romania.

This match, in the so-called Six Nations B, is important as that competition determines which of two teams will go directly to New Zealand for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. So far four of the six nations seem in close contention for the two spots - Georgia, Romania and Portugal who have been to World Cups before and Russia who have not. The Georgians and Romanians are neighbours. They play for a trophy, the Antim Cup, named after St Antim whom both countries share and venerate. It is a big occasion.

And it is McMenemy's first Test and he is 24  - born on 7/August 1984.

Andrew James McMenemy is a man of the Borders. He was born in Galashiels, went to school in Galashiels and lives in Galashiels - in what many see as the heartland of Scottish rugby. It's in the family. His uncle Tom played famously for Gala for many years. One uncle Neil Crooks played Sevens for Scotland and another, Peter Dods played full back for Scotland when they won the Grand Slam and toured with the Lions.

Inevitably Andrew played rugby - from the age of five when he was at Burgh Primary School to the age of 18 when he left Galashiels Academy. He also played for Gala Red Triangle (Age Grade Rugby) and GalaYM (Senior) but got involved in refereeing while still at school.

"I did my Foundation and Level 1 refereeing courses when at high school aged 18 (2002). Refereed new image and tag festivals before going on to referee full scale matches at age grade level and progressing from there. 

"I wasn't enjoying playing - not getting any reward for my hard work during the season and so I asked to referee until the end of that season. I fully expected to go back to playing at the start of the next season but never have and never looked back from there. I don't regret giving up playing at all."

He did two things when he left school. He went through the process of becoming a fire protection engineer and he joined the Borders Referees Society.

That was in 2002. In 2005 he was promoted to the Scottish National panel. Good things have happened since: refereeing at FIRA-AER's Under-18 European Championships in Treviso, Italy, in 2006, refereeing a women's Test between Wales and Canada in 2007, refereeing the Under-19 match between Ireland and Italy in Dublin in 2008 and that year refereeing the IRB World Sevens Series at Murrayfield. He also refereed his first European Challenge Cup match - Cetransa El Salvador vs Overmach Parma in Valladolid. Then this year he has been appointed to the IRB Sevens tournaments in Hong Kong, Adelaide, London and Edinburgh. Clearly he is a young referee rapidly climbing the refereeing ladder.
 
The highlights of his career? "The  IRB Sevens at Murrayfield last year. Brilliant experience to referee in front of your friends and family at your national stadium at such a high-profile event."

Those who have helped along the way? "Referee development officers Bill Calder and Iain Heard, former professional referee Malcolm Changleng, the referee manager at the Scottish Rugby Union Roy McCombe and all the guys in my local society who help each other along. "

Ambitions? "To referee to the best of my abilities and to keep enjoying it. Anything else is just a bonus. Obviously World Cups, Heineken Cup and Six Nations."

What does he like about refereeing? "Both physically and mentally challenging. People and places that you go to and meet."

What does he hope to achieve on the field as a referee, your philosophy of refereeing? "The game is all about the players and trying to reward them for being positive and playing good rugby however you can't have the perfect game every week."

How do get from Gala to Georgia? "I have not been there before. I take three flights, from Edinburgh through Munich and Frankfurt and then onto Tblissi."

He is not alone: "The assistant referees are Iain Heard and Ronnie Dumma, both very experienced campaigners and a massive confidence booster to be going with them."

What does he know about the teams? "Not a massive amount. A large percentage of both teams play in France or Italy. They are sitting second and third in the championship respectively with both teams really pushing towards Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand."

How does he hope to communicate? "I hope that someone speaks English but if not then I know a little bit of French which may or may not help."

The rugby world will want to wish Andrew McMenemy well and that the braw lad with the easy smile really will go places, in more senses than one, and put Scottish refereeing on the map.