Donal Courtney

Donal Courtney
Birth nameDonal Gerard Courtney
Date of birth (1964-05-22) 22 May 1964 (age 60)[1][2]
Place of birthDublin, Ireland
SchoolCBC Monkstown
UniversityTrinity College, Dublin
SpouseSarah Courtney
Occupation(s)Chartered accountant
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
198x–1990 Monkstown ()
Refereeing career
Years Competition Apps
199x–200x All-Ireland League
2001–2007 Celtic League
2001 Under 21 Rugby World Championship
2000–2007 European competitions 44
→ European Rugby Challenge Cup
→ Heineken Cup
→ Parker Pen Shield
2002–2007 Test Matches 20
2002–2007 → Rugby World Cup qualifiers 7
2004–2007 → Six Nations Championship 3
2004 → Tri Nations 1

Donal Gerard Courtney is a former Irish rugby union referee. He served as a referee in the Celtic League, the Heineken Cup, the European Rugby Challenge Cup, the Six Nations Championship and the Tri Nations. Courtney refereed the 2002–03 Parker Pen Shield final. Between 2009 and 2016 he served as the ERC/EPCR match officials performance manager.

Early life

Courtney was educated at CBC Monkstown and Trinity College, Dublin. He played rugby union for Monkstown until a serious shoulder injury ended his career in 1990.[3][4][5] He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland. In addition to working as a rugby union referee, Courtney also served as the chief financial officer for the General Motors/Capmark Europe Bank. Courtney lives in Blackrock, Dublin.[6][7][8]

Refereeing career

Early years

Courtney first began refereeing in the 1990s. He was attending a tournament organised by Old Belvedere when a tannoy announcer asked "is there a referee in the house?". Courtney answered the call and subsequently refereed junior matches before working his way up to All-Ireland League level.[2][3] Courtney would also referee in the Celtic League.[9]

European competitions

In 2000 Courtney began refereeing in the Heineken Cup and the European Rugby Challenge Cup. On 25 May 2003 he refereed the 2002–03 Parker Pen Shield final between Caerphilly and Castres Olympique.[3][5][10][11] Courtney refereed 44 European club games.[12]

Early internationals

Courtney refereed at the 2001 Under 21 Rugby World Championship and then began refereeing A internationals during 2001 and 2002. He made his senior international refereeing debut on 7 September 2002 when he took charge of a 2003 Rugby World Cup qualifier between Uruguay and Chile. During his career, Courtney would referee a further six Rugby World Cup qualifiers.[3][5] He also served as a touch judge at the 2003 Rugby World Cup.[13]

Six Nations Championship

Between 2004 and 2007, Courtney refereed three matches in the Six Nations Championship.[3] He made his Six Nations debut on 14 February 2004 when he took charge of a match between Wales and Scotland.[4] On 19 March 2005 he refereed a match between Italy and France.[14] In addition to refereeing, Courtney also served as a television match official and touch judge in the Six Nations. During the 2007 Six Nations Championship Courtney officiated at three of Scotland's matches. On 3 February 2007 he served as the TMO during the match between England and Scotland. He confirmed a try for England's Jonny Wilkinson despite video footage clearly showing that Wilkinson's foot had been in touch. At a post-match press conference, Scotland's coach, Frank Hadden, heavily criticised Courtney for his decision.[15] On 17 March 2007 during the match between France and Scotland he served as a touch judge for Craig Joubert. During the match Courtney mistook Sean Lamont for his brother Rory Lamont following a yellow card offence. As a result, the wrong Lamont brother was sin-bined.[16] On 24 February 2007 Courtney refereed his final Six Nations fixture, the match between Scotland and Italy at Murrayfield Stadium. Italy won 37–21, their first away win in the Six Nations.[5][17]

List of internationals

Sources credit Courtney with refereeing between 20 and 24 Test Matches. This list may be incomplete.[3][5][12]

Date Competition Home Result Away Venue
1 7 September 2002 2003 Rugby World Cup qualifier  Uruguay 34–23  Chile Montevideo
2 28 September 2002 2003 Rugby World Cup qualifier  Italy 25–17  Romania Parma
3 15 March 2003 2003 Rugby World Cup qualifier  Spain 33-16  Tunisia Valence d'Agen, France
4 12 April 2003 2003 Rugby World Cup qualifier  Spain 13–62  United States Madrid, Spain
5 27 April 2003 2003 Rugby World Cup qualifier  United States 58–13  Spain Fort Lauderdale, Florida
6 23 August 2003 2003 Rugby World Cup warm-up matches  Scotland 47–15  Italy Murrayfield Stadium
7 14 February 2004 2004 Six Nations Championship  Wales 23–10  Scotland Millennium Stadium
8 12 June 2004 Wales tour  Argentina 50–44  Wales Estadio Arquitecto Ricardo Etcheverry
9 19 June 2004 Wales tour  Argentina 20–35  Wales José Amalfitani Stadium[18]
10 14 August 2004 2004 Tri Nations Series [Note 1]  South Africa 40-26  New Zealand Ellis Park Stadium
11 20 November 2004 Japan tour  Romania 25–10  Japan Stadionul Arcul de Triumf
12 19 March 2005 2005 Six Nations Championship  Italy 13–56  France Stadio Flaminio
13 11 June 2005 Summer Internationals  South Africa 134–3  Uruguay Kings Park Stadium
14 25 June 2005 France tour  South Africa 27–13  France EPRU Stadium
15 28 May 2006 Barbarians tour  England 46–19 Barbarians Twickenham Stadium
16 10 June 2006 Scotland tour  South Africa 36–16  Scotland Kings Park Stadium
17 7 October 2006 2007 Rugby World Cup qualifier  Italy 83–0  Portugal Stadio T.Fattori, L'Aquila[19]
18 25 November 2006 Australia tour  Scotland 15–44  Australia Murrayfield Stadium
19 24 February 2007 2007 Six Nations Championship  Scotland 17–37  Italy Murrayfield Stadium
20 March 2007 2007 Rugby World Cup qualifier  Portugal  Uruguay

Source:[3][20]

Notes
  • ^1 The original referee, Nigel Williams (Wales), pulled a muscle after 12 minutes and was replaced by Courtney.[21]

Later years

In April 2007 Courtney retired as a referee and touch judge.[3] In May 2009 he was appointed the European Rugby Cup match officials performance manager.[5][8] Courtney continued in the same role with the European Professional Club Rugby before leaving the position in May 2016.[12] He remains involved in refereeing, serving as a performance reviewer and sitting on disciplinary panels.[22][23]

References

  1. ^ "Donal Courtney Ireland". en.espn.co.uk. 19 June 2004. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Three Irish men at the centre of everything". irishtimes.com. 4 February 2006. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "Donal Courtney Retires As International Referee". irishrugby.ie. 26 April 2007. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Courtney Gets Six Nations". irishrugby.ie. 5 December 2003. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "ERC appoints first Match Officials Performance Manager". epcrugby.com. 20 May 2009. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  6. ^ "A Day in the Life: Donal Courtney, Chief Financial Officer of Capmark Europe Bank and International Rugby Referee". finance-magazine.com. 1 March 2007. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  7. ^ "Donal Courtney (53)". worldclubrugby.com. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  8. ^ a b "Courtney lands key ERC role". irishtimes.com. 21 May 2009. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  9. ^ "Celtic League - Ulster Continue To Set The Pace". irishrugby.ie. 10 March 2004. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  10. ^ "Donal Courtney To Referee Parker Pen Shield Final". irishrugby.ie. 7 May 2003. Archived from the original on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  11. ^ "Castres Olympique 40, Caerphilly 12". epcrugby.com. 25 May 2003. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  12. ^ a b c "EPCR Head of Match Officials Donal Courtney to leave position after Lyon finals". premiershiprugby.com. 4 May 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  13. ^ "The whistlers that contol the cup". nzherald.co.nz. 2 October 2003. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  14. ^ "IRB select Rolland to take charge in three international matches". irishtimes.com. 9 September 2004. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  15. ^ "Scots play down Courtney history". en.espn.co.uk. 21 February 2007. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  16. ^ "SRU appeals after referee sin-bins the wrong Lamont". scotsman.com. 19 March 2007. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  17. ^ "Scotland v Italy". news.bbc.co.uk. 24 February 2007. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  18. ^ "Argentina (0) 20–35 (25) Wales (FT)". en.espn.co.uk. 19 June 2004. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  19. ^ "Italy (40) 83 - 0 (0) Portugal (FT)". en.espn.co.uk. 7 October 2006. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  20. ^ "McHugh set for return after attack". en.espn.co.uk. 28 August 2002. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  21. ^ "Joubert inspires Boks". independent. 14 August 2004. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  22. ^ "RBS Six Nations 2016". officiating.worldrugby.org. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  23. ^ "Disciplinary Hearings - Round 3". epcrugby.com. 12 December 2017. Retrieved 11 February 2018.