mens
international
Referee Ben Whitehouse will lower his whistle after taking control Ospreys against dragons conflict in United Rugby Championship this Saturday, to take up a full-time role as specialist coach in Wales.
Whitehouse, 36, will work closely with coaches and players on principles of law, discipline, decision-making and communication as part of Steve Tandy’s coaching staff.
“Ben has already made a big impact in his work with us so far this year and it’s great to now have that become a more formal role,” said Tandy.
“His knowledge of the game from his refereeing experience, not only around the law but also in terms of communication, is very beneficial and we will work hard as a group to continue to build and improve this area during the next phase Nations Championship in November.”
The son of former international umpire Nigel Whitehouse, Ben Whitehouse has refereed nine Tests, making his debut at the highest level in 2015.
He has spent most of his refereeing career in recent years on the TMO hot seat, including RWC 2021 and RWC 2023.
In club rugby, Whitehouse has refereed over 100 games in the URC – only the third person in the history of the competition to reach the milestone.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time so far with Steve, the coaches and the players. Rugby has been a big part of my life from a young age and Wales means everything to me,” Whitehouse said.
WRU Director of Rugby and Elite Performance Dave Reddin added: “The creation of this role is part of our work to build a clear and aligned Welsh rugby DNA. The specialist technical, tactical and strategic expertise that Ben will continue to provide to coaches and players is extremely valuable as we look to accelerate our development in all areas.”
