New Zealand Rugby have established a new-look referee development programme for the upcoming rugby season - this new programme sees more than 70 referees across the country be included, where previously there was a 20 - 25 person strong High-Performance squad. 

The squads are split along the Super Rugby regional boundaries where Waikato referees are well represented in the Chiefs regional squad. 

Six of our premier referees from the Waikato have been named in the 18 strong Chiefs regional squad. Michael Winter, Ben Woolerton, Larissa Woolerton all return from been named previously in the disbanded National Squad, while Cole Northcott, Ben Brownlie & Kaitlin Bates all make the regional squad and will experience rep footy in 2024. 

Larissa Woolerton is making her return to on-field officiating after her and Ben welcomed their first-born son Boston in mid-2023. Ben will be looking to add to his recent two seasons refereeing in the Heartland Championship and will be excited for a big representative season. Michael, Waikato's most experienced referee in the group, will be keen to add to his 50+ first class appointments following a good season in the Bunnings NPC in 2023 and ARing Super Rugby. 

Newcomers Cole Northcott & Ben Brownlie both had some exposure to representative rugby in 2023 where Brownlie also made his first-class debut when he refereed North Harbour vs Taranaki Whio in the Farah Palmer Cup. 

Our newest referee in the squad is Kaitlin Bates who is a member of the NZR Scholarship programme. She has recently taken up refereeing. Refereeing her first season in 2023 saw Bates referee a lot locally and make all posts a winner in the community. 2024 Bates will experience Super Rugby Aupiki as an Assistant Referee. 

Well known Television Match Official (TMO), Aaron Paterson, makes a return to the TMO box this season. He will feature in week one of the 2024 Super Rugby competition. Paterson has also been appointed to a Pacific Four Series match in Australia in May. 

Article added: Friday 16 February 2024