Matt Goddard retires
Injury has forced Matt Goddard, international referee, to retire from refereeing before his time. He is only 34 years of age.
It is not rare for referees to suffer injuries, usually associated with running, but rare for an injury to force a young referee into retirement. Young, he had been refereeing for 18 years and had travelled the world. At the time of his retirement he was a full-time referee.
In a statement, the manager of Australian referees, Anthony Eddy, said: "I would like to notify you of the premature retirement of Matt Goddard from active refereeing duty. Unfortunately, chronic injury has now seen Matt have to announce his retirement. At a relatively young age it is disappointing to lose someone of Matt’s experience with 14 Tests and 35 Super rugby games.
"I would like to thank Matt for his contribution to Australian Rugby and the game in general and hope that Matt continues to officiate in some other capacity and remain involved in the game"
In a reaction André Watson, South Africa's manager of referees said: "I was aware of the injury and was holding thumbs that he would recover.
"Please pass on my personal as well as SA’s best wishes to him.
"We salute him as his contribution cannot be underestimated. This forced retirement due to injury is not good for the game at this time."
Matthew David Goddard was born in Sydney on 12 January 1975. He played rugby at the Sydney Church of England Grammar School, known as Shore, a "Great Public School".
Matt played rugby at Shore as far as Under-16 and loved it but gave it up because "I did not like tackling". Refereeing started as a way to keeping involved in rugby and especially for fitness. "One thing led to another."
Matt started refereeing juniors in 1992 and in 1994 progressed to seniors. By 1999 he was doing well enough to referee the Grand Final of New South Wales's competition - Sydney University vs Eastwood. He also refereed matches involving the USA, the Emerging Wallabies and the Maori - and he went to the Under-19 World Championships. It was a definite foot on the ladder.
In 2002 he hit the big time with his first Super 12 match - the Bulls against the Sharks and went to Hong Kong for the Hong King Sevens for the first time. He has also refereed Sevens in Malaysia, China and Singapore.
His career as a Test referee started in 2005 with Canada against Wales In Toronto and then Samoa against Tonga in Apia. His Tests include England vs New Zealand at Twickenham in 2006 and two Tests Tri-Nations Tests in one season.
It was not a career without controversy, once sidelined after a match between the Bulls and the Hurricanes in which he gave six yellow cards, and censured for making a public statement.
He was on IRB panels, dropped from them and reinstated. Unfortunately for him his period off the panel included the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France.
Other referees liked him, his kindness and his sense of humour. Asked the qualities of a good referee on one occasion he said: "A good referee would have Peter Marshall's feel for the game, with Chris White's eloquence, André Watson's showmanship, Paul Honiss's speed and Steve Walsh's good looks!"
Matt, an accountant by profession, is married to Beth with two sons, Tom and Will. He once said: "Travelling is the hardest part of being a referee,. You get used to the press and all that but you don't get used to being away from home."