Booster project accelerates development of match officials

• In 2025 IRL launched the most expansive investment into grassroots game development in its history
• The technical education project objective is to ensure that every IRL member nation is able to produce its own coaches and match officials, through accredited local educators
• The IRL's system focuses heavily on continuing technical development between courses, to ensure that acquired knowledge turns into maturing understanding of the game, higher technical standards and an authentically developed sport
• The project is underpinned by state of the art e-learning management systems and coaching resources

International Rugby League delivered a “match officials booster” programme during the European Rugby League U19s Championships staged at the CREPS Font Romeu high performance facility in France.

The "booster" programme is part of IRL's global technical education project designed to accelerate a cohort of match officials through its qualification continuum to boost capacity and knowledge in six national federations.

A squad of 12 officials were selected for the event, which included Liam Breheny and Lucas Seal from England, Calvin Galandrin, Mateo Roca and Romain Pares from France and Andrew Pilkington, one of IRL’s leading Match Official Educators, from Spain.

Also selected were Nectarios Tsakalos (Greece), Joseph Rago (Norway), Kemoy Whyte (Jamaica), Petar Randjelović (Serbia), Cody Kuxmann (USA) and Craig Davies (Wales) who, in addition to their on-field match officiating roles, worked with IRL Match Officials Educator Steve Hogan on various aspects of the IRL’s Technical Education.

Rago, Randjelović and Tsakalos completed their Level 1 CATO with Hogan early in the week before joining Davies, Kuxmann and Whyte to undertake the IRL Level 2 Match Official course.

As a result of the activities during the week, all six plan to complete their Level 2 CATO+ imminently, allowing them to then commence training to become Level 1 Match Official Educators.

Once qualified, they will be able to deliver Level 1 Match Official courses for their own national federations and be eligible for IRL deployment elsewhere within their region to deliver techinical education training.

“The group were very eager to learn and their experience made it very easy to proceed through the Level 2 course” explained Hogan.

“We ensured that throughout the week’s activities we recorded and evidenced everything that the candidates will need to demonstrate to achieve CATO+ so that once they have returned home they will be able to swiftly progress with CATO+ on the IRL Technical Education Portal and I will continue to support them to achieve this.

"As soon as they have achieved the qualification, they will be ready to start training as Educators and we’ll look at what opportunities there are progress that in a strategic way.”

Photo: Match officials undertake a video review course. 

Alongside the education programme, all 12 match officials enjoyed a 9-day experience in a full-time training environment, led by FFRXIII head of match officials Stéphane Vincent and assisted by Hogan and Pilkington.

The group took part in a series of physical training sessions, which included being on field and in the CREPS gym facilities, undertaking recovery sessions using the pool and the ice bath facilities and participating in video review sessions.

All matches were reviewed by either Vincent, Hogan or Pilkington with areas of development identified. The group also enjoyed a mountain biking session in the Pyrenees and took part in the invitational barbecue and walk around the ski-resort which including ascending the chairlift to over 2100m.

“I’d like to thank Stéphane, Steve and Andrew for their efforts and their leadership with the match officials team during the European Rugby League U19s Championship” added David Butler, IRL’s Head Of Membership & Competitions.

“They gelled the group together very quickly and it was obvious that all twelve of the group became a very tight knit and supportive group very quickly who worked hard for each other on the field and supported each other off it, helping everyone to learn, develop and having a great experience.”

“I’m also delighted that we have been able to accelerate the cohort through the IRL Education Continuum which will quickly pay dividends for their national federations once they are qualified as Match Official Educators, but also in time for IRL who will be able to deploy the Educators to support other national federations within their regions as part of this vital global project.”

More information on the IRL Technical Education Project can be found at www.internationalrugbyleague.com/education