A dream came true at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, recently when IPF Member Mike Race got to referee his first match at the home of England Rugby.
The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was made even more memorable when IPF Ambassador and international referee Luke Pearce made a surprise appearance to help guide Mike through his debut.
Staying connected to the rugby community
Mike, who sustained an acute, severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) playing for Cleve RFC three years ago, was invited to officiate at the IPF Men’s Vets Tournament which featured six community rugby teams who had spent months’ fundraising for the RFU Injured Payers Foundation.
“I may no longer be able to play the game I love,” explained Mike, “but to be physically able to give back to the sport through refereeing and stay connected to the rugby community is so special.
“My recovery has been good, and I've been very lucky,” he continued. “A lot of that has been down to the support and rehab that came along the way, particularly in the early part following my injury.
“I started training with Bristol Referees Society two years ago and now I referee local men’s league games, and when I can, junior rugby as well.
“We're fortunate that we've got a lot of referees in Bristol, who have a lot more experience than I do, so today is by far the biggest game I’ve done to date.
“I don’t think I can put into words what refereeing at the Allianz Stadium has meant to me.
“Today was another example of how the IPF encourage you to lead the life you wish to lead post injury.
“When they heard from my wife Louise that refereeing here was one of my dreams, they set about making it happen.
“I played a good standard of rugby, but I was never going to play at Twickenham, so I never expected to be out on the pitch here, never mind referee a game.
“Then to see Luke Pearce walking over, and to discover he was here to help me was a wonderful surprise.
“It was brilliant to have Luke here celebrating the work of the IPF and supporting me.
“Luke’s been a fantastic ambassador for the Injured Players Foundation and it’s great to have someone of his calibre involved.
“He’s also not a bad person to have a chat with about your refereeing journey, is he?! He’s a really good role model as well as a great referee and such a nice guy as well.
“His advice was to take it all in, to enjoy being at this amazing theatre of rugby and to make the most of the experience.”
Pearce, who set off at the crack of dawn to make sure he could be there for Mike’s debut, before zipping across London to referee Saracens v Harlequins in the Gallagher Prem, said:
“It’s been great to meet Mike today. He’s got a great personality and the perfect temperament for refereeing. He seemed totally in control and calm on his debut at the Allianz Stadium.
“I made my refereeing debut here in 2008 for the Schools Finals and I'll always remember that occasion.
“It doesn't matter how many years you’ve been doing the job, walking out here is so special whether you’re a player or referee.
“It’s something not many people get to do, and you can sense how fortunate everyone feels to be part of this event today.”
Speaking about the importance of teams fundraising for the IPF over the weekend, Pearce said:
“It’s brilliant to see. I would encourage everyone involved in rugby to discover what the RFU Injured Players Foundation does and to fundraise if they can.
“Since I've been involved with the Injured Players Foundation, I've really got to understand the important role the charity plays within the rugby community and how it supports players, as well as to hear some incredible IPF member stories.
Catching up with familiar faces and meeting new IPF members
“It’s been great to catch up with other IPF Members like Liam again after meeting him at his fundraising tournament in Bristol last year,” continued Luke.
“To see what he achieved climbing Kilimanjaro, and to be here surrounded by his club mates all supporting the IPF, is fantastic.
“I also met another IPF Member, Luke, who was here with Sandown and Shanklin. He was front and centre of everything, leading the team out and then leading the celebrations when they won!
“You could see the bond between Luke and his teammates. It’s another example of how the rugby community support each other. When you’ve played rugby, you’re aways a part of it.”
Supporting family and friends as well as an injured player
One of the things that has struck Pearce most since he became an ambassador for the IPF a couple of years ago, is the support provided by the IPF for a player’s family as well as the injured player.
“Chatting to Liam and his wife Rachel last year, and IPF member and welfare officer John Burgess here today, you become much more aware of the pebble effect a life-changing injury can have.
“It's not just the individual who is affected it’s also their family and friends. The knock-on effects can influence their whole lives. To see what the IPF does to support those families practically and emotionally just blows my mind.
“As referees, along with the wider rugby community, we have an important role to play in making the game as safe as possible. So much great work has been done in this area and thankfully life-changing injuries on the pitch remain extremely rare.
“But it’s reassuring to know that when things don’t go right and an accident does happen, the IPF has a team of people on hand to provide support.”
Highlights of the day
Sharing the day with his mum, dad, wife Louise and daughter Megan, was extra special for Mike, with son Sam disappointed that a Duke of Edinburgh expedition clashed with the big day!
Mike was also keen to thank his refereeing family on the day, who’d volunteered their time to referee and welcomed him into their team.
“It’s been brilliant to meet a number of the London Referee Society today. A huge thank you to them for guiding me through and letting me referee the final which was the cherry on the cake!” he said.
“I was a little emotional to see so many teams here supporting the RFU Injured Players Foundation – the charity that has helped not only me and my family, but many friends we’ve made through the Foundation.
“This weekend’s IPF tournaments sum up rugby's values brilliantly. It shows there’s more to rugby than just playing the game.
“We’ve seen the incredible community spirit, teamwork and fundraising effort. To have raised over £153,00 across the weekend is just astonishing.
“The teams here deserve so much credit for all the work they've put in through fundraising events and sponsorship. They deserve to celebrate that hard work and enjoy themselves on the pitch here. It’s been so special to be part of.”
Love of rugby and importance of staying connected to the game
Despite his injury, Mike’s passion for the game hasn’t dwindled. If anything, it has strengthened.
“Even though I got injured, I think I love the game more now than I did before. Seeing the amazing work the IPF does has really opened my eyes to what that rugby community really means, and how it looks after each other.
“Not long after getting out of hospital I took my kids to their rugby training as I wanted them to know that rugby was OK and I wanted them to experience all the enjoyment I got out of the game before the freak accident.
“My kind of injury happens so infrequently. The benefits of the sport massively outweigh the risks.
“Yes, it's a physical game and yes, there are risks, but we could cross the road and get hit by a bus, so I think for me the values of the sport and the benefits of being involved in such an amazing environment is so important for players.”
