Rugby: Bay ref sets sights on Rio Olympics

Nick Briant wants to referee sevens at next year's Olympic Games.

Bay of Plenty rugby referee Nick Briant wants to officiate at next year's Olympics in Brazil.

The 34-year-old from Tauranga leaves for Dubai at the end of this month to referee at the opening leg of the 2015-2016 HSBC Sevens World Series. He will continue next year throughout the series and hopes to be one of the referees selected for the Rio Olympics.

"It is a pretty unique opportunity and is pretty special as rugby has only just got back into the Olympics after 100 years since it was last there," Briant said.

"It is the pinnacle of sport, really, so to get a chance to be selected would be a chance of a lifetime really."

Briant said there was a different expectation on referees at sevens compared with the longer 15-aside version of the game.

"We take a more technical approach to the game. We are expected to have a lower tolerance for what we blow our whistle for and we try to be a lot more technically accurate and deliver our decisions a lot quicker, as naturally the game is so quick.

"Sevens flows best when we put high technical standards on it as it forces the players to be very accurate in what they are doing.

"In an average game of sevens it is not unusual to have seven penalties in those 14 minutes, which is one every two minutes. If you had a penalty every two minutes in fifteens it would be terrible. In fifteens we tend to let a lot more go to try and keep the game flowing."

Briant said refereeing test matches was another long-term goal of his.

"I am established at Super Rugby level and am just trying to get my foot in the door at the next level. I have done a couple of tier three test matches and been AR (assistant referee) at one tier one test match so I am just hoping to get a chance to be involved more."

Briant is part of a successful pool of Bay of Plenty referees making their mark on the national stage, led by Tauranga's established international ref Glen Jackson.

"Following on from Bryce Lawrence, we have Jacko right at the top and me at Super Rugby trying to get to the top. Then we have two other guys Shane McDermott and Brett Johnston refereeing ITM Cup rugby. I think it is in a pretty decent state in the Bay of Plenty with a core of really good young guys and girls learning fast.

"The rugby in Bay of Plenty is a great learning curve for referees because it is good, hard rugby but it is not easy to ref and we are tested."