Tim Batibasaga 
[Photo Credit: Fiji Rugby]
The Fiji Rugby Referees Association, in collaboration with Oceania Rugby, has launched a groundbreaking Match Official Level 2 pilot course in Suva.
The program is part of a regional push to improve referee standards across the Pacific.
The two-and-a-half-day course began in the capital and will shift to Nadi later this week, where officials will also undergo training on the Blue Card protocol—an initiative based on the Head Injury Assessment model.
[Photo Credit: Fiji Rugby]
World Rugby Regional Training Manager and Interim FRRA Chair Talemo Waqa, says the aim is to upskill match officials at every level.
“We have referee coaches mentoring educators, who are overseeing referees and assistant referees in club games, Skipper Cup U20, and the Deans competition. It’s a layered system that ensures everyone is supported.”
The course has attracted participants from across the region, including Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Tahiti, with the majority coming from Fiji.
Waqa says the introduction of the Blue Card system is a key focus, ensuring referees are trained to remove players from the field if a concussion is suspected.
“By combining technical development with player welfare through the Blue Card, we are lifting standards both on and off the field.”
Fiji is the first country in the region to trial the program, which could be adopted globally if successful.
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