Rugby SA referee Jamie Wilson to make Super Rugby debut in 2023

An SA rugby union referee will participate at the highest level of the sport this weekend after just three years of officiating.

A local rugby union referee will make her Super Rugby debut this weekend after officiating formally for just three years.

29-year-old Jamie Wilson has been selected to officiate the sidelines of the Moana Pasifika (New Zealand) and Chiefs (New Zealand) game in Melbourne on Saturday.

The budding referee has been officiating in the Wheelchair Rugby National League – the competition’s only referee in South Australia – as well as in local competitions for the past three years after making her start at the Brighton Rugby Union Football Club.

“I can’t play contact sport for medical reasons but my dad loves rugby so I started refereeing as a way to connect closer with him,” Wilson said.

“I used to run touch for him down at Brighton and I also ran the bar there for eight years.

Rugby SA referee Jamie Wilson (right) will officiate Super Rugby for the first time this weekend after refereeing for just three years. Picture: Rugby SA

“I just enjoy the community of referees we have, especially the girls here in Adelaide – for me it’s about camaraderie, the inclusion, and as long as I’m enjoying it and having fun I’ll keep doing it.”

In early February, Wilson attended Rugby Australia’s Female Match Official Leadership Program in Sydney, which helps to identify female leaders in the game and build towards greater representation at higher levels of rugby.

She said she was excited to see where the experience would take her in the long term.

“The whole program was a great opportunity, now I’ve got a mentor in Melbourne and it’s exciting to see where it can all take me.

“It’d be great to become a full-time pro as a referee, I’ll take it as far as I can and as far as is enjoyable.

Wilson has been officiating wheelchair rugby for multiple years and is the only Wheelchair Rugby National League referee from SA. Picture: Rugby SA

“At the end of my second year my coach told me he wouldn’t coach me any more if I didn’t want to step up so I’ve been officiating a higher level since then and just trying to do well no matter where I go.”

While Wilson admitted there were still challenges within officiating as a female, she has remained passionate about the job and is eager to stay at the highest level of the game.

“I’ve copped a lot of abuse on the sideline, especially early on, so I found it a lot easier in the middle,” she said.

“There’s an expectation that referees should be perfect and see everything but the reality is that players aren’t perfect, they make errors too, and coaches will look at their players making mistakes and say that’s reasonable – referees probably don’t get that same allocation or leniency.

“I still want to go as far as I can as long as I’m having fun, and I’d encourage as many people as possible to try refereeing rugby – it’s a great community and we look after each other.”

Wilson’s game will begin at 4.35pm on Saturday.