On the touchline

Rowan Kitt (BH95–05), former history beak, rugby coach and Weekites Housemaster, was selected as one of four Television Match Officials (TMOs) for the Rugby World Cup in Japan. Rowan shares his story with us

Like VAR in football, the TMO is simply the backstop referee who is there to correct the clear and obvious errors by the on-field ref or spot serious foul play. This is easier said than done, of course! When a decision is on the big screen, you remember that there are 80,000 other people in the stadium and millions at home who have an opinion! Mostly, I’m sat in a huge lorry full of monitors, producers and the director, right next to the stadium. In South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, you sit in the stadium itself with a view of the pitch. In Japan, with Hawkeye technology, we were in a small portacabin – not very glamorous.

At each game, the team of four referees operates as a very tight unit, built on trust, so you spend as much time together as possible. I did 10 group games, travelling round Japan on bullet train to each one. I also did the Quarter Final between Japan and South Africa in the fantastic Tokyo

© GETTY IMAGES

Far left: Rowan collects his World Cup medal. Above: TJ Perenara scores the try that Rowan ‘almost’ disallowed. Left: With the try scorer himself

Stadium – some 60 million people watched the game, apparently. It doesn’t help with the nerves!

It’s a tough job as there is so much concern, rightly, from World Rugby about dangerous contact with players’ heads, so we were put in the firing line to get all the high tackles and shoulder charges. It was difficult for everyone. But, by the quarterfinals, all the players were tackling lower so perhaps it was mission accomplished after all.

I think my highlight of the Cup was the relief I felt that I awarded the famous try by All Black TJ Perenara against Namibia, which I came within a whisker of disallowing. It was later voted International Rugby Try of the Year and one of the greatest World Cup tries ever!

I must admit, I did fancy South Africa to win a long time ago – I’ve done several of their games in the last year or so and they are just so physical. They are also a great bunch of guys. It was a far better story that South Africa won, rather than England, dare I say!

Of course it wasn’t all work: we ate some amazing food, learnt some Japanese, took in a few sights like Mount Fuji and the temples in Kyoto, and met up with Queens’ College alumni and friends who live out there.

After two months away, I reintroduced myself to my children who are aged eight, seven and four. I did two more games in the recent Six Nations and will be going to the Varsity matches at the end of the year, always in the hope of seeing my old friend Jim Freeman (BH95-) – a proper rugby legend. I do miss those Charterhouse days. b