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JP Doyle

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JP Doyle
Doyle in 2019
Birth nameJohn Paul Doyle
Date of birth (1979-08-03) 3 August 1979 (age 45)
Place of birthDublin, Ireland
SchoolTerenure College
UniversitySt Mary's University College, Twickenham
Occupation(s)Full time referee
Rugby union career
Refereeing career
Years Competition Apps
2006-2020 RFU Premiership 150
2007-Present European Challenge Cup[1] 13
2010-Present Heineken Cup[1] 19
2015 Rugby World Cup[2] 1
Correct as of 20 August 2020

John Paul "JP" Doyle (born 3 August 1979) is an Irish born rugby union referee. Doyle was one of ten full-time rugby union referees employed by the English Rugby Football Union[3] until his redundancy in August 2020.[4] In 2021, he was a referee in Major League Rugby (MLR) in the United States. In 2022, he was named high performance referee coach by Scottish Rugby Union.[5]

Playing career

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Doyle was born in Dublin, Ireland,[6] the son of Terry Doyle,[7] later President (2006–7) of the Association of Referees Leinster Branch of the IRFU.[8]

He played scrum-half at school for Terenure College, then Terenure College RFC and St Mary's University College, Twickenham[9] where he trained to be a secondary school teacher.[10] He was forced to stop playing due to an injury and surgery on his back in 2002.[10]

Refereeing career

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Doyle started his refereeing career with the Association of Referees Leinster Branch of the IRFU[7] in 2001 and joined the London Society of RFU Referees in January 2003. He was promoted to the South East Group later in 2003 and to the National Panel in 2006.[11] He refereed the final of the Daily Mail Under 18 Schools Cup at Twickenham Stadium in 2007[12] and the EDF Energy National Trophy Final in 2008.[13]

He was appointed as a trainee full-time official on 1 September 2008.[11] In May 2010, the Elite Referee Unit (ERU) of the RFU confirmed his full-time contract after successfully completing a two-year trainee programme that had seen him referee in the Premiership, the IRB Sevens circuit, the Churchill Cup and Pacific Rim Rugby Championship tournaments.[14]

He officiated at the 2009 IRB Nations Cup,[15] the 2010, 2011 and 2012 IRB Junior World Championship, and the 2010–12 European Nations Cup First Division.

He has regularly refereed matches in the RFU Championship, Premiership and the LV= Cup including important Final matches.

Doyle refereed his first European Challenge Cup match in the 2007–08 season on 18 January 2008 when he officiated at Dax verses Calvisano pool game.[1] His first Heineken Cup game followed in the 2010–11 season on 17 October 2010 (the pool game between Perpignan and Benetton Treviso).[1]

On 27 May 2014, it was announced that Doyle would referee the 2014 Aviva Premiership final, his first as referee.[16]

On 25 September 2015, Doyle refereed the 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool C match between Argentina and Georgia.[2]

Doyle refereed the opening match of the 2016 Six Nations Championship (between France and Italy).[17]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d "JP Doyle". Profile on EPCR. European Professional Club Rugby. Archived from the original on 19 March 2015. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  2. ^ a b Chris Bertram (25 September 2015). "Rugby World Cup 2015: Argentina 54-9 Georgia". BBC. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  3. ^ "Refs' Chief Blows Whistle on Crisis". Daily Express. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  4. ^ "RFU makes referee JP Doyle redundant". The Times. 20 August 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Former Rugby World Cup referee JP Doyle joins high performance department". 16 March 2022.
  6. ^ "JP Doyle". Profile on Premiership Rugby. Premiership. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  7. ^ a b "Go Whistle" (PDF). arlb.ie. August 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  8. ^ "Referees". Terenure RFC. Archived from the original on 9 January 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  9. ^ "October Training Meeting". Essex Society of RFU Referees. 26 July 2010. Archived from the original on 10 March 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  10. ^ a b "JWRC referee: JP Doyle". SARU Referees. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  11. ^ a b "Elite Referee Appointments". rugbynetwork.net. 7 May 2008. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  12. ^ "Warwick joys means Barnard Castle heartbreak". Rugby Football Union. 28 March 2007. Archived from the original on 9 January 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  13. ^ "Two-try Saints secure the double". Northampton Saints. 12 April 2008. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  14. ^ "Morrison strengthens elite referee pathway". Rugby Football Union. 28 May 2010. Archived from the original on 9 January 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  15. ^ "IRB Nations Cup – the referees". International Rugby Board. 19 June 2009. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  16. ^ http://www.premiershiprugby.com/matchcentre/fixtures/31832.php#.U4UHkig8D9s premiershiprugby.com – Aviva Premiership Final Preview: Saracens v Northampton Saints
  17. ^ "Six Nations: Scotland beaten by England". BBC. 31 January 2016.
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