Dilroy Fernando to 'blow' only at inter-school matches

RUGBY: Top rugby referee Dilroy Fernando who is likely to emerge as the next President of the Sri Lanka Rugby Referees Society at its annual general meeting (AGM) to be held in January, is set to confine his refereeing career only for Inter-School matches from 2009.

Fernando, speaking to Sunday Observer stated that he has decided to abstain from 'blowing', in domestic club fixtures during the forthcoming season as a policy decision if he is elected to the post of Referees Society President. "I do not want to continue or drag my career in club refereeing anymore", he said. "Besides, I want to give as many opportunities as possible for budding referees to come up the ladder, hence this decision was made only to officiate in selected or decisive Inter-School matches from 2009", Fernando said.

Fernando, who is also the outgoing Executive Director of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) noted that he will quit officiating from international refereeing as well, at the end of the Rugby Sevens World Cup to be held in Dubai in March 2009. He added that he has nothing more to gain in rugby refereeing after being appointed as the International Rugby Board (IRB) Referee Trainer for Asia, and his priority would be to help up-and-coming referees in their skills in the trade.