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Ex-England skipper de Glanville takes up refereeing at the age of 55
While the younger breed of Bath fans are far more attuned to the achievements of his son Tom, who is fast earning himself a reputation as a rising star of the Gallagher Premiership, the sight of Phil de Glanville back on a rugby pitch has come as a welcome surprise to unsuspecting locals of an older vintage.
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The 55-year-old former England and Bath captain, who led the club to their last league and cup double in 1995/96, enrolled on an RFU refereeing course earlier this year in the kind of heart-stirring, ‘putting something back into the game’ approach that might encourage other former players to do the same.
De Glanville’s main motivation for taking up the whistle was a yearning to be actively involved in grassroots rugby again now that his kids have grown up and his days on the touchline as a happy-to-help parent are over.
The short time he has been in the middle has left him full of admiration for the people who do it for a living. “Our youngest has been at uni now a couple of years and so the days of Bath youths and being involved on the sideline, running touch, coaching, helping out refereeing a few games, doing the bacon sarnies and whatever… I have been out of that for three or four years so I thought it would be good to get back involved in the grassroots a bit more,” explained de Glanville to RugbyPass.
“I’m also coming to the end of RFU (council) time in terms of administration. I finish in July next year as the council member for students and my role with the board finishes then too, so I was just thinking I needed to find something else to fill that gap and take up another hobby.
Not only is former England captain Phil De Glanville reffing ustoday, he’s wearing an old-school Bath jersey. Love it. pic.twitter.com/zY15e77JDQ
— Old Sulians RFC (@Oldsuliansrfc) November 11, 2023
“Every professional coach should go through the refereeing course and do some refereeing; I don’t know how many have but you realise how difficult it is. God knows how elite refs do it, they are superstars. Everything is happening in a flash and there are a whole load of laws that you barely knew ever existed because the scenario that needs them hardly ever unfolds.
“There are always these ones around the fringes that pop up from time to time. For instance, I was doing a game, Bath Uni fourths against Exeter sixths – a cracking game it was as well – and the goal line dropout was kicked out on the full. I didn’t know what to do so I gave a lineout where the ball went out rather than give the attacking team the option of a centrefield scrum or a lineout five metres out, or for the kick to be re-taken.”
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Most Bath folk and beyond are well aware of what de Glanville senior achieved in the game – 38 England caps, eight as captain, and over a decade of service in a Bath jersey as the perfect foil to Jerry Guscott in midfield when the club was at its peak.
But for those whose memory still needs stirring, the vintage Bath kit that he uses for his matchday referee attire has been a bit giveaway, as are the admiring looks from middle-aged women who remember him as “Hollywood” – a sobriquet from his playing days that came about because of his chiselled features.
Mentored by Somerset Rugby Referees’ Society’s Wayne Davis, de Glanville was eased into the most scrutinised of sporting occupations with a handful of school and university matches before making his club refereeing debut for Bath-based Old Sulians’ 38-14 win over Clevedon seconds in Counties 3 Tribute Somerset North.
Clevedon lost a player to injury midway through the second half, leaving them with only 14 players as they came from the North Somerset coast without any replacements, but with de Glanville using the whistle as sparingly as possible (he only awarded 10 penalties), a good, flowing game of rugby was had by all.
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A spokesperson for the home club said: “He is one of the best refs we have had. One of the players said, ‘The game flowed and there were no howlers’ which is pretty good for Somerset Division 3 North! Plus he was fitter than pretty much all the other refs we get – and as another player said, ‘All the mums loved him’.”
As de Glanville now has five games under his belt he qualifies for an official Somerset Rugby Society yellow jersey, making the retro 2000/01 Bath shirt from his swansong season as a player redundant for a second time.
Pending the reliability of the postal service, de Glanville will look the part as well as act the part for his next assignment – the dizzy heights of Counties 3 Tribute Dorset and Wiltshire Central and a fixture between hill-top village side Colerne and Melksham seconds.
When he makes his ascent to the club’s ground overlooking Box Valley via the narrow, winding lanes half an hour’s drive from Bath, de Glanville’s refereeing will be going up in a literal sense at least.
One hopes that the fairly remote location will dissuade any former teammates from coming along to see what de Glanville is made of because the only abuse he has received from the touchline to date has come from his former teammate, Kevin Maggs.
“I did have Kevin Maggs, a talent ID person for Ireland, turn up for Monkton (Combe) versus Downside and he started giving it some straight away so I went over to him at half-time and I said, ‘Maggsy, how am I doing?’ He said in his Bristol accent, ‘Fair play, you’re doing alright.”
“I have done five games and I have been taken aback by how respectful everyone has been. In the men’s game there is probably a lot more of trying to influence the referee, a lot more of, ‘Sir, can you look out for this, can you look out for that?’ In the uni and three school games I have done, I have had not a jot to be fair.
“Wayne Davies, who played for Bath seconds and thirds at the same time I was playing, does all the appointments in Somerset. He said, ‘I will start you with the schools because they are a lot easier’. I haven’t had a bad experience yet. I have been really heartened by that.
“The support the refs get is really good. All the new refs come together and meet, go through clips and talk about positioning – and I am the oldest by a long way. It is quite a big step, your first game (Kingswood School v Marlborough College). You are suddenly out there on your own. I was totally standing in the wrong position but luckily Wayne was there to guide me. The support refs get is phenomenal.”
Given his age and what he has already achieved in rugby, de Glanville has no innate desire to climb the refereeing ladder. There is too much to think about for a start, including remembering to bring a coin for the toss.
“I don’t use a coin, I took a coin to the first game and I dropped it, it fell out of my pocket and I lost it so I thought it would be much easier to use a leaf or a blade of grass. I have discovered there is quite a lot to think about – you have to take your own touch judge flags, you have got to do all the briefing beforehand, get yourself warmed up, so I thought I’m not going to bother with that.
“It has worked out alright so far. Another thing I do is, as a back, I don’t try and have ideas above my station and tell the forwards how to scrummage, I just tell them I want to see them certain things and that’s it.”
Now word has got out about his refereeing, de Glanville is expecting a bit more touchline attention but he is happy to remain under a relative cloak of anonymity for as long as possible. “I’m enjoying it but there is always that inevitable look, mostly from the parents, of ‘did you play rugby before? I think I recognise you from somewhere’.
“But the kids have no idea, which is great. It has definitely turned on its head, it’s now, ‘Are you Tom’s dad?’ because all the youngsters know him and not me.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Can we also show some love for Tane Edmed’s fantastic draw and pass? Put his body on the line and committed the defender before letting go of that pass. Flawless skill.
3 Go to commentsYou forget this is Rassie Erasmus who is still holding the Springbok keys. Even with Felix Jones orchestrating a really tight RWC SF last year. It still wasn't enough to get England past their particular Springbok Monkey in world cups. The reason is FJ was going off of what they did in 2019 not necessarily adapting to current Springboks. So yes, Australia can get passed England because let's be honest, England have a one track strategy, Springboks do not. Even with rush defense I wouldn't be surprised if Rassie continually tweaks it. Also bear in mind Rassie is happy to sacrifice a few mid year and inter World Cup matches to pin point how opposition plays and how to again tweak strategies to get his Springboks in peak performance for the next World Cup. As much as most teams like to win games in front of them and try to win everything, Rassie always makes sure to learn and train for the greatest showdown International Rugby has to offer. Tbh, most people remember World Cup wins and ignore intermediate losses as a result but will remember also WC losses, Ireland, even if they won games in the interim. So even if games are won against the Springboks, it's likely Rassie is just getting a feel for how opposition is moving and adapt accordingly…in time. For Rassie, a loss is never a loss because he uses it as a chance to learn and improve. Sometimes during a game, again like the England match in last year's Semi Final.
7 Go to commentsDanny don't care. He pretends to care but he don't. He says all this stuff to justify his reasoning but no one can claim that legitimately. He knew exactly what he was doing and wondered if his old team mate would overlook it, which he did. Ref has got to be sidelined or properly trained. It's one thing for refs to move up the ranks but if it was me I would require refs to either have played in different clubs or not at all having the temptation to bias in high stakes games like this. This has got to be stamped out. But then again World Rugby is so destroying the game of rugby in an attempt to be more “safe” and “concussion free”. What they are doing is making it more infuriating for the fans and more difficult for the refs to officiate evenly and consistently. It's fast become Australian Rules football. If guys don't want concussions, they should have played chess. Stop complaining you oldies of the game. When they played the game was vastly heavier hitting than it is now but of course they can't see that.
2 Go to commentsJa, why do Bulls get flack for not bringing their best but Leinster never bring their best and it goes “unnoticed”?
3 Go to commentsIt’ll be very interesting to see how Razor’s AB’s handle the new England rush D. It’s basically the Bok recipe they copied, so if England goes well then we know most likely the Boks will go well too. If England cops a hiding then we’ll have to study and adapt.
7 Go to commentsTypical trait of an australian is to moan. Goes well with there lack of humbleness as evident by the Reds bench on the weekend.
3 Go to commentsSBW’s bro’town commentary and lazy default to hyperbole should be ignored, a technical analyst he is not. Sotutu is a good player when games get goosey loosey, high skill set that fans of Zinzan recall with starry eyes. But you need power and mongrel at no8 in the Test arena and Sotutu gets found wanting there, much like Akira Ioane. No8’s like Zinzan and Ardie have bucketloads of mongrel and power and tenacity which allow the skill sets to flourish.
11 Go to commentsAn inside pass to attacker on the angle can make a drift defence look lead footed. Relies on fleet footed forward/s to get across from the breakdown. An argument for the smaller faster 7 perhaps?
7 Go to commentsSensational tackle. The reds one was late and rightly penalised. The other two were simultaneous with the pass. If nitpicking TMOs can’t find fault there clearly isn’t any.
3 Go to commentsBrumbies fully deserved their win on the back of their physicality and desire to control the ball. Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua and Tyrel Lomax should be the ABs starting front row when we start our test schedule. They have “come of age” and have bested all they have faced as well as been dominant with ball in hand in making the gainline. With De Groot, Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell backed up by Taukei'aho and Cody Taylor there's not an international front row that can trouble us. Can't wait to face the Boks over there, won't be no one point game this time.
7 Go to commentsKinda strange that he wasn’t with a premiership team or a higher level of rugby? Start playing late or something? With that kind of size and athleticism you’d think someone would have picked him up?
2 Go to commentsShows how much attitude matters. Last week the Brumbies got done, this week they dominated the tournament leaders, who were likely thinking they could cruise to victory.
7 Go to commentsA Turtle has more pace and leg drive than Owen Franks, so it’s a good thing he only had to run 90 metres for that try.
2 Go to commentsOh Tamati Tua was in the vastly over-rated Leon MacDonalds Blues system? Well, no wonder he was wasted, much like Emoni Narawa and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens under MacDonald. now look at them. Good thing Tua isn’t eligible, the Aussies latch on to any player who isn’t tied down.
7 Go to commentsMark Telea is a lot of things, but a defensive juggernaut has never been one of them. There will be far bigger tests in that regard for the youngster.
11 Go to commentsLove and respect to Fiji but not a chance outside of 7s
4 Go to commentsGood summation Ned. Agree the Canes were out-muscled for once (except at the scrum!) by a focused Brumbies outfit. Tua deserves consideration for higher honors after the way he humbled Jordie and the Canes defense. Thankfully, his lack of eligibility for Oz keeps him from Joe’s plans. While I also agree the injuries affected the Canes performance, some players seemed to lack focus and intensity for this match. Perhaps after the Blues demolished the Brumbies, they thought it was going to be easy? A good reminder that any slip up in preparation can have a big affect on the result. Brumbies deserved that win.
7 Go to commentsKarl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to commentsBrilliant article! Harry of 8/9
7 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
2 Go to comments