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Former Gallagher Premiership referee JP Doyle has broken his silence about the RFU redundancy that has ended his long connection with top-flight rugby in England. After his name was marked absent from the opening two rounds of appointments for the recently restarted 2019/20 Premiership, it emerged that the popular Irishman had lost his job due to the overall financial cutbacks affecting English rugby HQ at Twickenham.
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Amid claims that the RFU face losses of up to £107million and that 139 jobs across the organisation had to go, the ten-strong full-time panel of referees learned earlier this summer that their jobs were also on the line.
That process eventually resulted in the release of the popular 41-year-old who had been refereeing in the Premiership since 2006 and was a full-time RFU employee since 2010. There have since been calls for Doyle to join up with the Guinness PRO14 where there is regular criticism about its inconsistent refereeing standards.
However, appearing on the latest episode of The Rugby Pod, the show hosted by Andy Goode and Jim Hamilton, Doyle said he was biding his time before his next move and added that he could even return to reaching, his old profession before he became a full-time referee.
Explaining his redundancy after a ten-year full-time stint, he said: “Services no longer required unfortunately due to Covid and the cutbacks at the RFU and the business of the business, I guess. Sport is sport and you have to take your licks and get on with it.
One of the best referees in the game, @jpref9 joined the lads this week to chat redundancy, career plans and just what it takes to be at the top of your game for so long.
Best of luck for the future JP ?
Watch the full video here ?https://t.co/DzVsUBbZkA
— The Rugby Pod (@TheRugbyPod) August 26, 2020
“When redundancies are happening, and there is a lot of people going through that at the moment, you have just got to go through the process and what will out will out. Often you speak to people and these are great opportunities to reset and go again.
“The best way I can describe it is it’s a very sad and sudden stop. I’d love to be doing a game this weekend but there are great refs out there. There are other guys who can do the games. I’d only love to be out there for me because I really love doing it and I really like being out there. The teams, the coaches, supporters, the support staff around the teams who I used to really enjoy being involved with.
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“Look, the game will go on. There will be other people to do the games and they will referee them brilliantly. The RFU have got a great set-up, great referees. For me, it’s sad and it’s sudden. Yeah, I feel gutted but rugby goes on, sport goes on.
“The situation is what the situation is. It has been pretty public what is going on at the RFU. They are having to do what they have to do to ensure the future. The future of the game is far more important than the future of JP Doyle. That is what we have got to remember.
“We want rugby to be bigger and better and brighter and kick on. Rugby doesn’t need me. I love the game but the game loves nobody. It’s okay. It moves on and you reassess and go again. It is sad but it’s okay as well.
“The ironic thing is the last thing I did (as an RFU employee) was a bronco test. I was good to go (for the English season restart) but it wasn’t to be. With PRO14, they have their guys, they have their panel and it is also run by their unions.
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“They have their guys coming through that they want to develop and want to get better. Sure, if someone asked me to go and referee I’d take a look but for them, it’s important to develop their referees. They have great refs, all the countries have international refs. They want to bring more through, so you can understand where they are with that.”
Not being at a rugby ground somewhere in England in recent weekends, though, is taking Doyle a bit of time getting used to. “What is weird and what is great is the last two weekends I have been able to actually see people at weekends,” he explained.
“I can come across and have a beer and a bowl of crisps on a Saturday afternoon and that has been lovely. I’m sure that will wear thin. I was a school teacher before this so I can go back.
“If I miss out and leave rugby I will be sad. Maybe there is something in and around the media I would love to do, but Covid is contracting everything at the moment so we are just eyes open, wide awake to see what we can find out there. I loved teaching before I came into rugby and I still do. We’ll just see what happens.”
Excellent to see the rugby family weigh in behind JP after what must be a sickening blow https://t.co/untJCxCUX4
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 21, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
I’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
4 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
6 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
11 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
11 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
4 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to comments