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.