One of Wales’ leading professional referees, Adam Jones, will be joining the WRU Rugby Engagement team and WRU Community Department next month as the WRU Match Official Community Lead.
The 31-year-old began his own refereeing journey as a 16-year-old with his first senior game between Garndiffaith 2nds and Abertysswg. He joined the WRU as a professional official in 2022 and has officiated at World Rugby, World Rugby Sevens Series, Olympic Games, United Rugby Championship, EPCR, Six Nations U20’s, World Rugby U20s World Cup and Rugby Europe Championship.
Originally from Brecon in Mid Wales his local rugby club is Gwernyfed RFC where he started his refereeing junior refereeing Gwernyfed U9s and ever since he says “the club have been extremely supportive and actively followed my journey”.
He was previously a Community Sports Development Officer with Powys County Council – increasing participation and organising people development workshops. He also led inclusive community sports programmes and secured funding for grassroots clubs, promoting disability sports inclusion.
More recently he has supported and delivered leadership and performance initiatives within the WRU refereeing community, improving development structures and referee pathway development, coaching and mentoring.
WRU head of rugby engagement, Chris Ower, said: “The key focuses for the Match Official Community Lead will be to grow and retain the number of qualified match officials in the community game, develop and support match officials involved in the 14yrs-18yrs game and develop and support match officials in the talent discovery pathway.”
Jones said he had no hesitation in taking up the new position.
“This is an exciting opportunity for me,” said Jones. “I have a passion to engage and develop match officials in the community game. I think this is the type of job that doesn’t come up that often but it’s something I am very committed and excited about.
“My focus will be on developing the next community referees – It doesn’t matter what age they are there is an opportunity for everyone in the game and if that means you get your level 1 refereeing award or progress to L2 to 3, there will be a robust structure in place where we can engage with everyone.
“I want to focus on the structure and on how we support all match officials in the community game, but not only the referees but advisors and the other various roles that are involved.
“We all want to achieve the same outcome – a better game and that comes from trying to make our referees better and then this should allow players and coaches to have a better game experience. This comes from working collaboratively and closely with playing, coaching and refereeing within the new Rugby Engagement Structure to enhance our product.
For the girls and women’s match officials we have got girls and women only courses which we have seen great interaction in and we are looking at supporting them as much as possible and developing them within our development groups that we run before mentoring them in their games they officiate in.
Jones is keen to build further links with schools, clubs and universities in an attempt to grow and improve the match officials in the community game.
“I want to have a fair and honest system to support match officials across the community game whilst always ensuring we have a coherent pathway for development and this comes form working closely with our referee societies throughout Wales. I am looking forward to having a key role and relationship with all societies in Wales and working collaboratively together.
“We want to encourage all potential referees there is an opportunity for them to ref at all levels of the game. I look forward to giving them every assistance along their journey.”