Ben Blain

Ben Blain
Birth nameBen Blain Nickname = the shrub
Date of birth (1988-09-16) 16 September 1988 (age 36)
Place of birthCarlisle, England
UniversityNorthumbria University
Occupation(s)Rugby union referee
Rugby union career
Position(s) Scrum-half
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
– Carlisle RFC ()
Refereeing career
Years Competition Apps
2015 National League 1
2016– Scottish Premiership
2017– European Challenge Cup
2018– Pro14
2019– Rugby Europe International Championships
2019– Super 6

Ben Blain (born 16 September 1988) is a professional rugby union referee who represents the Scottish Rugby Union.[1]

Rugby union career

Playing career

Amateur career

Blain played with Carlisle RFC as a scrum-half.[2]

Referee career

Professional career

Blain began refereeing with Cumbria Referee Society.[3][non-primary source needed] By 2015 he was refereeing local English matches in National League 1.[4] and Academy matches for the English Premiership.[5]

In 2016, Blain joined the Scottish Rugby Union to be part of their referee group. He is now a member of the Borders Referee Society. He was promoted to the Elite SRU refereeing panel in 2017.[6]

He now referees in the Scottish Premiership.[7][8]

He has now refereed in the Pro14.[9] He made his debut in the Dragons v Munster match in January 2019.[10]

He has also refereed in the European Challenge Cup.[11][12][13]

Blain refereed his first Super 6 match on 14 December 2019 when the Ayrshire Bulls played Stirling County.[14]

He refereed his first 1872 Cup match on 21 December 2019.[15]

International career

Blain refereed the Belgium v Georgia in March 2019.[16]

Blain has been picked as Assistant Referee for International matches.[17]

He has also refereed in U20 Six Nations matches.[9]

Outside of rugby

Blain is a chartered surveyor and has a degree in Estate Management from Northumbria University.[18]

References

  1. ^ "Zebre Rugby team to face Connacht Rugby". Guinness PRO14. 5 April 2019.
  2. ^ "Ben Blain on the up! – News – Carlisle Rugby Club". pitchero.com.
  3. ^ Rugby, Carlisle (29 July 2017). "Good to see local referee Ben Blain in the thick of things. @RefereeCumbria @CumbriaRDOhttps://twitter.com/premrugby/status/891244693832519680 …".
  4. ^ Clarke, Roger (19 January 2015). "Caldy 23 Stourbridge RFC 22: Stour fury as ref refuses to cut any slack". Birmingham Mail.
  5. ^ client (16 February 2015). "U18 Academy Finals: Gloucester Rugby 6 Exeter Chiefs 11".
  6. ^ "CRFC Fans – Ben Blain". cardiffrfcfans.com.
  7. ^ "Glasgow Hawks 14 – Heriot's 46: Matt Smith is red-carded". The Scotsman.
  8. ^ "Glasgow Hawks RFC 14 vs. 46 Heriot's Rugby Club – 1 September 2018 – HAWKS – Glasgow Hawks RFC". glasgowhawks.com.
  9. ^ a b "Referee Ben Blain set to make Guinness Pro14 debut". Scottish Rugby Union. 23 January 2019.
  10. ^ Lloyd, Rob (26 January 2019). "The Dragons suffered the most agonising defeat against Munster". walesonline.
  11. ^ "2017–2018". site-epcr.soticcloud.net.
  12. ^ "Match officials to October 21". 17 October 2018.
  13. ^ "European Champions and Challenge Cup referees announced – %". 4 October 2018.
  14. ^ Hay, Iain (14 December 2019). "Super6: Ayrshire Bulls blast past Stirling County with a big second half performance". The Offside Line.
  15. ^ "Glasgow Warriors 20–16 Edinburgh". Glasgow Warriors.
  16. ^ "Guinness PRO14". pro14.rugby. Archived from the original on 30 March 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  17. ^ "World Rugby Officiating: The home of Rugby officiating on the web". officiating.worldrugby.org.
  18. ^ "The Team – Carigiet Cowen Chartered Surveyors – Commercial Property Specialists". carigietcowen.co.uk.