Steve Walsh (rugby)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Steve Walsh (born on 28 March 1972) is a professional rugby union referee from New Zealand. He lives in the North Harbour area, near the city of Auckland.^[1]

Walsh is unusual among his peers in that his playing career ended at age 13. A spinal injury due to a birth deformity prevented him playing Rugby at that time, he began refereeing the game at age 16.^[2]

Walsh made history when he refereed the first rugby union match ever at Croke Park^[3] in Dublin. Croke Park was the scene of the Bloody Sunday killings in 1920 by the British Army.^[4] Neither football (soccer) nor any code of rugby had ever been played at Croke Park until the historic Ireland v. France^[5] match in the 2007 Six Nations Championship, which Walsh refereed on 11 February 2007.^[6] The refurbishment of Lansdowne Road, the Irish national rugby union stadium, led to an agreement with the Gaelic Athletic Association for the temporary use of Croke Park.^[7]

During the afore mentioned Ireland France game, Walsh made some questionable decisions. He acknowledged the fact that he made a bad error and apologised to the players during the game, when he whistled too early after Geordan Murphy looked sure to score a breakaway try.

[edit] References

1. ^ Professional status; source: IRB RWC 2003.
2. ^ Injury and Refereeing at ages 13 and 16; source: NZRFU.
3. ^ Croke Park: Stadium Guide.
4. ^ "Croke Park: England return to scene of massacre": Independent Online Edition.
5. ^ "Ireland 17-20 France": from BBC.co.uk.
6. ^ "Croke Park gears up for rugby first": from BBC.co.uk.
7. ^ Díospóireachtaí Parlaiminte: Parliamentary Debates from Seanad Éireann.