Marius van der Westhuizen

Marius van der Westhuizen (born 6 January 1984) is a South African professional rugby union referee, currently on the Premier Panel of the South African Rugby Referees' Association. [1][2]

Marius van der Westhuizen
Date of birth (1984-01-06) 6 January 1984
Place of birthCape Town, South Africa
Height1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in)
Weight78 kg (12 st 4 lb; 172 lb)
SchoolHoërskool President, Goodwood, Cape Town
UniversityUniversity of South Africa
Rugby union career
Refereeing career
Years Competition Apps
2011–present
2012–present
2013–present
2013
2014–present
2014
2014		 Vodacom Cup
Currie Cup
Sevens World Series
Rugby World Cup Sevens
Super Rugby
World Rugby U-20 Championship
Commonwealth Games		 14
18


4
3
Correct as of 18 February 2015

Early career

Van Der Westhuizen was born in Cape Town, South Africa. He started his refereeing career in 2007 and refereed in matches in the Western Province leagues. In 2009, he became a member of SARRA's contenders squad and he took charge of matches in the Craven Week and Under-19 Provincial Championship competitions.

Van Der Westhuizen started refereeing first class matches in 2011, making his debut in the 2011 Vodacom Cup match between the Free State Cheetahs and the Falcons in Bloemfontein[3] and took charge of ten matches in the 2011 Under-19 and Under-21 Provincial Championships.

2012 saw him referee in a number of Varsity Cup and Varsity Shield matches, as well as taking charge of three matches during the 2012 Vodacom Cup. His first Currie Cup appointment was the match between the SWD Eagles and Boland Cavaliers in George[4] and he also took charge of the Cavaliers match against the Griffons in Welkom,[5] as well as a number of matches in the 2012 Under-21 Provincial Championship and the match between Wales Under-18 and England Under-18.[6]

International

Van Der Westhuizen became a referee on the IRB Sevens World Series circuit,[7] where he very quickly established himself as one of the top referees, being the man in charge of the 2013 Hong Kong Sevens final in just his third tournament.[8] He was also named on the refereeing panel for the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow.[9]

Further appointments in Varsity Rugby followed in 2013 (which included refereeing the 2013 Varsity Cup final between Maties and UP Tuks),[10] as well as a further four Vodacom Cup appearances. He officiated three matches in the 2013 Currie Cup First Division before his first Premier Division appointment for the match between the Golden Lions and Free State Cheetahs in Johannesburg, his first of five matches in the competition.[11]

Van Der Westhuizen was named on SANZAR's referee list for the 2014 Super Rugby season and was in charge of his first Super Rugby match when the Lions met the Crusaders in Johannesburg.[12]

Van Der Westhuizen also officiated at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.[13] as well as at the 2014 IRB Junior World Championship, taking charge of three matches, including the 5th-place play-off semi-final between Australia and Samoa,[14]

Van der Westhuizen refereed at the 2015 Tbilisi Cup to become the 69th test referee for South Africa.[15]

References
  1. "SA Rugby Player Profile – Marius van der Westhuizen". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  2. "SARU Elite". South African Rugby Referees' Association. Archived from the original on 18 February 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  3. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Free State Cheetahs 55–19 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 25 February 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  4. "SA Rugby Match Centre – SWD Eagles 21–21 Regent Boland Kavaliers". South African Rugby Union. 27 July 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  5. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Griffons 54–37 Regent Boland Kavaliers". South African Rugby Union. 8 September 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  6. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Wales 25–28 England". South African Rugby Union. 10 August 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  7. "Referee Appointments for IRB 7s World Series" (Press release). 8 August 2012. Archived from the original on 18 February 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  8. "Referee Van der Westhuizen". Rugby365. 29 March 2013. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  9. "Sevens SA refs crack RWC Sevens nod". Sport24. 10 April 2013. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  10. "SA Rugby Match Centre – FNB Maties 5–44 FNB UP-Tuks 1". South African Rugby Union. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  11. "SA Rugby Match Centre – MTN Golden Lions 29–30 Toyota Free State Cheetahs". South African Rugby Union. 10 August 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  12. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Lions 7–28 Crusaders". South African Rugby Union. 5 April 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  13. "Australian referees appointed to 2014 Commonwealth Games". Australia Rugby Union. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  14. "IRB Junior World Championship 2014, Match 22". World Rugby. 15 June 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  15. "SA gets Test referee No 69". Sport24. 13 April 2015. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
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