By 
OMAGH’S Keane Davison made his unexpected United Rugby Championship debut as a referee during the exciting Leinster versus Connacht interprovincial clash at the Aviva Stadium.
The Belfast-based barrister started the game on the line as Assistant Referee 1, but when match referee Andrew Brace was forced to retire from the action at half-time due to injury, Davison was thrust into the centre as Leinster romped to a 52-17 victory.
And while he has plenty of experience at various levels of the game, this was his first chance to take charge of a URC clash and while he admits the circumstances were less than ideal, he thoroughly enjoyed his unexpected promotion halfway through proceedings.
“It’s never nice to go on in those circumstances whereby I’m running touch for Andy Brace, who is one of our colleagues in the IRFU, so it’s always a tricky one and you’re never fully prepared for that [and it being] an interpro, being in the Aviva, being a Leinster/Connacht game,” he explained.
“But as an assistant referee with [the communications gear on] I can hear what Andy’s doing and I can see what he’s doing in the first half, the areas of the game he’s trying to manage or get player behaviour to change and that makes it easier.
“But it’s still a big challenge and it was my URC debut, so it was a bit of a baptism of fire you might say! But at the same time, we do prepare for that being a possibility and you could say there’s a bit of luck that I ended up refereeing a game like that.
“And while this sounds really cliched, it’s a case of preparation and opportunity meeting and that’s how those opportunities happen.
“It was an interesting one, and certainly not what I was expecting to be doing at the weekend but I really, really enjoyed it.”
After feeling positive about his performance in the circumstances on Saturday, Keane is hopeful of earning further opportunities to referee at that level of the game and above in the coming months and years.
“I’ll reserve judgement [on my performance] until I speak to my [referee] coach!,” he added. “Coming off the pitch, yes is the answer. Because you’re thrust into it, you’re never going to get that warm fuzzy feeling that you’ve prepared really well for it and I delivered on it and I’m happy.
“I think the big thing is, ultimately, it’s about trying to not look like a fish out of water and enjoy it because that’s why we’re involved as referees in the sport that we love and I really did get the enjoyment out of it.
“I’d be lying if I said it didn’t [give me a taste for it and wanting more] but at all points of your refereeing career you’re given a little opportunity and you know by selections, similar to players, that it’s an opportunity and you have to grasp it.
“But also, it gives you that bit of hunger, it puts the fire in your belly to say, ‘look, this is what I want to do’ and at the minute I’m still working full-time as a barrister and this is only my hobby.
“I’m on a development contract with the IRFU, but the next step really for me is to be involved in the professional game and since I really started refereeing and started to get a feel for the fact that I enjoyed it, that has always been the end game for me – I’d love to be in the middle for the URC.
“I loved it. I really enjoyed it and hopefully I didn’t do the game a disservice by coming on.”
Keane, who became a father for the first time last summer when he and wife Honour welcomed Addison into their family, was back in action last weekend when he was again Assistant Referee 1 at the Newcastle Red Bulls versus Perpignon clash in round three of the European Challenge Cup when Peter Martin was in the middle.