JP Doyle

JP Doyle
Doyle in 2012
Full name John Paul Doyle
Date of birth 3 August 1979
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
School Terenure College
University St Mary's University College, Twickenham
Occupation(s) Full time referee
Refereeing career
Years Competition Apps
2006-Present
2007-Present
2010-Present		 RFU Premiership
European Challenge Cup
Heineken Cup		 80
11[1]
14[1]
correct as of 1 June 2014.

John Paul "JP" Doyle (born 3 August 1979 in Dublin, Ireland) is one of just six full-time rugby union referees employed by the English Rugby Football Union.[2]

Playing career

John Paul Doyle (most commonly referred to as JP Doyle[3]) was born on 3 August 1979 in Dublin, Ireland,[4] the son of Terry Doyle,[5] former President (2006/7) of the Association of Referees Leinster Branch of the IRFU.[6]

He played scrum-half for Terenure College (school), Terenure College RFC and St Mary's University College, Twickenham[7] where he trained to be a primary school teacher.[3] He was forced to stop playing due to an injury and surgery on his back in 2002.[3]

Refereeing career

Doyle started his refereeing career with the Association of Referees Leinster Branch of the IRFU[5] in 2001 and joined the London Society of RFU Referees in January 2003. He was promoted to the South East Group later in 2003 and to the National Panel in 2006.[8] He refereed the final of the Daily Mail Under 18 Schools Cup final at Twickenham Stadium in 2007[9] and the EDF Energy National Trophy Final in 2008.[10]

He was appointed as a trainee full-time official on 1 September 2008.[8] In May 2010, the Elite Referee Unit (ERU) of the RFU confirmed his full-time contract after successfully completing a two year trainee programme that had seen him referee in the Premiership, the IRB Sevens circuit, the Churchill Cup and Pacific Rim tournaments.[11]

He officiated at the 2009 IRB Nations Cup,[12] the 2010, 2011 and 2012 IRB Junior World Championship, and the 2010–12 European Nations Cup First Division.

He has regularly refereed matches in the RFU Championship, Premiership and the LV= Cup including important Final matches.

Doyle refereed his first European Challenge Cup match in the 2007–08 season on 18 January 2008 when he officiated at Dax verses Calvisano pool game.[1] His first Heineken Cup game followed in the 2010–11 season on 17 October 2010 (the pool game between Perpignan and Benetton Treviso).[1]

On 27 May 2014, it was announced that Doyle would referee the 2014 Aviva Premiership final, his first as referee, having previously been appointed Assistant Referee.[13]

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "JP Doyle". Profile on ERC. European Rugby Cup. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  2. ↑ "Refs' Chief Blows Whistle On Crisis". www.express.co.uk. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "JWRC referee: JP Doyle". SARU Referees. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  4. ↑ "JP Doyle". Profile on Premiership Rugby. Premiership. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Go Whistle". www.arlb.ie. August 2007. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  6. ↑ "Referees". Terenure RFC. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  7. ↑ "October Training Meeting". Essex Society of RFU Referees. 26 July 2010. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Elite Referee Appointments". www.rugbynetwork.net. 7 May 2008. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  9. ↑ "Warwick joys means Barnard Castle heartbreak". Rugby Football Union. 28 March 2007. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  10. ↑ "Two-try Saints secure the double". Northampton Saints. 12 April 2008. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  11. ↑ "Morrison strengthens elite referee pathway". Rugby Football Union. 28 May 2010. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  12. ↑ "IRB Nations Cup – the referees". International Rugby Board. 19 June 2009. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  13. ↑ http://www.premiershiprugby.com/matchcentre/fixtures/31832.php#.U4UHkig8D9s premiershiprugby.com - Aviva Premiership Final Preview: Saracens v Northampton Saints

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to JP Doyle.