ITALY vs SCOTLAND REFEREE
- Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
- Assistant Referee 1: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
- Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (WRU)
- TMO: Stuart Terheege (RFU)
Height: I think about 173 CM which I only know because of the weighing machine at the gym which gives me my predicted height
Fitness regime: It’s actually changed a fair bit over lockdown because I used to be quite heavy gym goer and I’d spend most of my days there. But since we were locked down with COVID I’ve got far more into my cycling. For me a lot of it is about injury prevention and anything I can do to keep fit and prolong my career is great.
Hometown: Exeter
No of years refereeing: 15 – 16 years since I started
How did you get started? I started locally because I enjoyed it. I wanted to stay involved in rugby as I wasn’t that good at playing, so it just evolved and then I ended up a level 5 game, and eventually an international – before I know it was my job but I never intended to make it a profession when I started.
No of games refereed (prem/international/total): There’s a guy in New Zealand who keep stats on referees’ numbers and I’ve had mine recently and I’m now over 300 first class appearances, whatever that means, and 29 internationals.
First game as a ref: Crediton 2nds v Newton Abbott 3rds. I always remember having my bag over my shoulder on a little moped stretching out to Crediton for the game – it was something that will live long in my memory that’s for sure.
First premiership game as a ref: It was Gloucester v Worcester, 2011. I remember it well. You are always really welcomed as someone who’s doing their first Premiership game and walking out at Kingsholm and with all that noise and the crowd in the shed shouting – it was brilliant.
First international as a ref: New Zealand v France was my first as a tier one referee. Japan v Canada was my first tier two.
Favourite stadium to ref in? I have a couple. I’d say the Principality Stadium, Cardiff, tops the list for the atmosphere when you run out of the tunnel. When the roof is shut it’s a sound that I haven’t heard anywhere else. I would also have to add Eden Park, Twickenham and the U Arena, Paris.
Who is your sporting hero? Michael Jordan
What is your whistle of choice? I use an ACME whistle – always have, always will. I have a silver and a black one – the one I use depends on which comes out of the bag first!