Whistling her way to top of refs' elite

PROMOTION to the top echelon of rugby referees has been quick for Eketahuna's former Black Fern Rebecca Mahoney.

Mahoney, just into her second serious season of blowing the whistle, is one of four referees to be included in the national women's elite squad.

Nobody is more surprised than Mahoney about how rapidly she has progressed through the ranks.

"It's been amazing, unbelievable really," she said yesterday. "I guess I've always been one to aim for the top but to get there in such a short time, yes, that wasn't something I ever expected."

Making Mahoney's effort even more impressive is that her refereeing appearances this season have been seriously curtailed by injury. She pulled a calf muscle while officiating in a game in Masterton about three months ago and will be returning to the action this weekend when she controls a "friendly" between the Manawatu and Hawke's Bay women's teams in Napier. In a distinguished playing career, which included 17 matches for the Black Ferns, Mahoney can't recall ever before experiencing an injury of that type.

"It's something new for me but I guess that's what happens in sport, you have to take the good with the bad," Mahoney said. "It's been a long three months, it's seemed like forever at times."

Safely through this weekend's fixture, Mahoney will then referee the Manawatu-Bay of Plenty WPC (Women's Provincial Championship) first round match in Napier which will be televised on Sky Sport. From there, she will head to the semifinals of the national secondary schoolgirls competition and that will be followed by an eight-day trip to Samoa where she will referee women's sevens matches at the Youth Commonwealth Games. And, following that, will be three more WPC preliminary round games and then the semifinals of that competition.

Mahoney is adamant her swift progress through the refereeing ranks would not have happened had it not been for the encouragement and advice she has received from the Wairarapa-Bush Referees Association, in particular Harry Quinn who has been her mentor.

"I sometimes wonder whether the locals realise how lucky they are to have such knowledgeable people looking after our referees. From what I've seen, we'd be right up there with the best in the country in that respect."

As for her own refereeing style, Mahoney said she always had it in mind that the majority of teams were keen to play a fast- flowing, attractive brand of rugby and she aimed to officiate in a manner which gave them every opportunity to do just that.

"I know as a player I always enjoyed referees who didn't try to take centre stage, who were more intent on keeping the game moving and I suppose that's made me want to referee that way as well."

Mahoney has experienced success at a couple of Women's Rugby World Cups as a player and would dearly like to be involved in the 2017 tournament in Ireland as a referee.