Hotels director to get closer to match action
RFU invites Cotswold hospitality ace to join National Panel
Colliers International hospitality specialist Peter Brunt has been on the sidelines for some of the highest profile pub and hotel deals over the past decade and has waved the flag for the South West hospitality sector at every opportunity.
But now the highly successful hotels director will be running the line at National League One & Two rugby matches across England.
Peter, who is based at the firm’s Bristol office, has been a referee with the Gloucester and District Society for many years – but has now been accepted on to the National Panel as an Assistant Referee.
He said: “It was 18 months of hard work but I now get to wear the rose as a match official, something I never thought would happen in my wildest dreams when I took up the whistle.”
Peter has already run the line for some National League fixtures, travelling as far as Redruth so far. He said: “The level of professionalism in rugby officiating at this level will come as a surprise to many. Each week we are sent clips from the RFU of the previous weekend’s matches and working in small groups under a very experienced Assistant Referee we discuss best practice and how to improve.
“The aim is to deliver the highest possible standard of officiating to these important matches. Being part of National League rugby is a privilege but comes with the responsibility to be physically and mentally fit. When the pressure is on you have to be in the right place and have a clear head to make the right, possibly difficult and contentious decision, despite the crowd in your ear. ”
Head of the Bristol office Tim Davies also serves on the panel in Wales.
The National Panel and the Professional Match Official Group covers games from L1 – the Premiership, down to L4 – National League Two.
“I will be started off at L4 to gain the necessary experience and skill. Would I like to get to the Premiership? Absolutely, it would be amazing but standards are incredibly high with huge competition from exceptional people. All I can do is do the job to the best of my ability, learn and improve, trust the system and see what happens.”
Peter has also worked particularly closely with Cheltenham RFC developing their junior referee programme, the club winning runner up in the More Referees category in the RFU President’s Awards in 2010.
If anyone is interested in officiating, details can be found on the following link: http://www.englandrugby.com/my-rugby/referees/becoming-a-referee/
