New Zealand referee Glen Jackson has announced his retirement after a 25-year involvement in the game.
Jackson’s playing career lasted more than a decade before he made the decision to become a referee in 2010. Now, 10 years later, the 44-year-old has called time on his refereeing. He wielded the whistle in 32 Tests, 88 Vodacom Super Rugby matches and 60 New Zealand National Provincial matches, including eight Ranfurly Shield clashes.
‘It was always a 50/50 call about doing this year,’ he told the New Zealand Herald.
‘I was really lucky that New Zealand decided I was good enough to go around again, but after talking to the family and everyone, and after doing a bit of coaching with the Bay of Plenty U19s, I just didn’t want to have a season that I regretted and wished I hadn’t gone one more.
‘After 25 years of either playing or refereeing the body’s not getting any younger. I really enjoyed this year, especially the National Provincial Championship Cup and finishing like that and I was lucky enough to do the final, so it was a good time to go and to not be pushed out, I suppose. It was a good time to go out on my own bat.’
Jackson also admits that while his omission from the officiating team in the 2019 World Cup final didn’t play a part in his decision, his exclusion did come as a shock.
‘Obviously missing out on the World Cup was really disappointing. Every player and referee tries to go to the best they can in terms of a sport, so to miss out on that was a shock and also disappointing,’ he said.
‘I’ll look back on my career and think I was lucky enough to go to one World Cup, so it certainly was disappointing but not a decision that made me give up refereeing.’
Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images
