Who we are

The RFRU is a National Constituent Body of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the CB specifically for Match Officials. Its members are the Referee Societies and associated Federations within England. Each member elects annually one Representative to sit on the RFRU Council which will normally meet at least once a year, coinciding with the RFRU Annual General Meeting.

As a member of the RFRU, each of the Societies (but not the Federations) is eligible to apply to become a full voting member of the RFU with all the privileges and benefits that brings.

The RFRU is managed and operated by a Board comprising five defined Officers - Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary and RFU Council Representative- and up to four Elected Directors. All of the Board members are volunteers. Biographies for the Officers and Directors can be found on the website. Also on the Board is one member of RFU Council appointed as their representative.

We also benefit from the involvement of professional staff from the RFU Game Development Department, with whom we work most closely. It is through this route that our strategic decisions are enacted by the professional staff.

We link very closely with the Game Development sub Committee who report directly to the Community Game Board. The key work in recent times has been ensuring that all the Governance requirements of a CB are in place and also working towards the implementation of the key recommendations of the Match Official Blueprint.