Man management is what refereeing rugby is all about.
"There's nothing harder than reffing the under-19s. Tensions run high and then very often all hell breaks loose. It's fun!"
That's according to King Country rugby referee veteran Dr Alastair Fraser, who was honoured at this year's annual general meeting withthe Tom Nealon Achievement Award for nearly 40 years of service to rugby.
Coming from Hokitika as a player-referee, Alastair arrived in Taupō in 1984.
"I took one look at the King Country forwards and thought 'I'll get smashed', so I refereed [and gave up playing]."
Many times Alastair had dual roles, as both the match doctor and the referee, having to leave the game he was refereeing on Owen Delany number three field to tend to a senior player knocked out on Owen Delany number one.
"The medical need always takes precedence."
Alastair's bung knee currently stands between him and being the main referee, saying it's 'bone on bone'. But he still acts as referee assistant and goes to referee association meetings where he says he enjoys 'scrapping' with the younger referees about the laws of rugby union.
"The interpretation has changed, but if you look at the law book the laws haven't changed."
He says a focus on reducing head injuries has seen changes, with the scrum and high tackles and going in over the top being addressed. In the wider context of things he says it's going to be interesting to see what happens in England, where high-profile rugby players diagnosed with early onset dementia have launched legal action against World Rugby.
"But at the end of the day, rugby is a contact sport, there are going to be head injuries and concussions.
"The forwards love putting their heads into small places and pushing like hell."
He says many parents don't want their kids playing contact sport due to the risk of injury.
"But young males love contact sport and it's a good way of letting them get rid of their aggression."
Alastair Fraser in schoolboy rugby days, 1972. Photo / Supplied
While medicine is Alastair's passion and love, he says refereeing is his 'out' from it. In his refereeing role he enjoys meeting people from all walks of life and some of his best memories are in Te Kuiti after a Waitete game.
A group of Taupō-based King Country rugby referees had the chance to meet top international refs in Hamilton in 2017. Photo / File
Over the years he has met some household rugby names, but says one of the most memorable games he refereed was the McQuilkin Cup about 10 years ago, an annual fixture between Tauhara College first XV and Taupō-nui-a-Tia College first XV.
"Although I did sew up Sean Fitzpatrick's ear at Owen Delany Park [when King Country were in the first division].
"He's got cauliflower ears from the scrum."
Over the years refereeing has taken Alastair all over the King Country, Hawke's Bay, Auckland, Rotorua and Hamilton. He has refereed games for the under-15s, the under-21s and second division matches.
He says the world of refereeing is highly political, and his work as a general practitioner put him at a disadvantage, as he couldn't commit to refereeing every weekend.
"But I was going quite well until I broke my ankle and was out for two years."
Former King Country Rugby chief executive officer and current mayor David Trewavas has known Alastair for nearly 40 years. He said Alistair is one of those people who can adapt to any situation and talk to people from all walks of life. David said Alistair is very generous in passing on his knowledge to younger referees and freely gives his time to be the match doctor for King Country Rugby.
"The Tom Nealon Achievement is a wonderful honour and celebrates an amazing career as a rural GP and as a referee. I can remember one morning Alastair was in Taupō at 10am delivering a baby at the hospital, and by 1pm he was in Bennydale refereeing a game of rugby."
A life member of the Taupō sub unit of King Country Rugby, Alastair was honoured in 2015 at the Taupō District Sports for his outstanding contribution to sport.
"It was a surprise. They were reading out the achievements and I was thinking 'this guy sounds familiar'."
Alastair Fraser. Photo / Len Birch
The citation for that award in part read:
He began refereeing seniors in 1982 and has been involved ever since, reffing at all levels and travelling all over the King Country. Famously he has put vocal and abusive spectators in the sin bin. When he isn't a referee, our recipient is often volunteering as a doctor for local, provincial and international matches. He loves rugby and equally important is the fact that he's involved and participating in the community.
Regarding the Tom Nealon Achievement Award, Alistair says being a referee has been a pleasure and he wants to thank Peter Matthew and Peter Roberts from King Country Rugby.
"I also want to thank my wife, Lianne. She let me do it."
