Why 5-cap Andrew Brace walked away from Test rugby to become a ref

It’s easy to see why people dub Andrew Brace a ‘United Nations’ official when you consider his back story.

He was born and raised in Wales, he studied in England, he played international rugby for Belgium and for the past 15 years, he has been based in Ireland.

On top of that, his refereeing career has taken him to countless different countries, including a recent trip to South Africa to take charge of the Springboks’ showdown with New Zealand in Johannesburg.

This weekend, he will be back in the land of his birth, as he handles the BKT URC meeting between the Ospreys and the DHL Stormers in Swansea - his 96th game in the competition.

It’s far from the easiest of jobs, with all the scrutiny that comes with it, but Brace wouldn't change his career path for the world.

That journey began in Cardiff where he had a spell working at the Arms Park as a development officer before moving to Ireland, having studied sports science and coaching at university in Plymouth.

He took up development duties with Munster Rugby, while playing as a utility back for Tralee and Old Crescent, winning five caps for Belgium, who he was eligible for through his father.

But he was plagued by fitness issues, with his “glass ankle” repeatedly causing him problems.

“Injuries took their toll and I just generally lost the motivation to play,” he says.

“Refereeing was another avenue for me to go down.

"For a short space of time, I was playing, coaching and refereeing. I couldn't do it all.”

So he decided to focus on picking up the whistle and being the man in the middle.

“It was a bit of a rollercoaster to start with,” he admits.

“I was chasing shadows in the first couple of games. You think you know everything around the laws as a player, but it’s only when you get thrown in the deep end as a referee that you really understand what it’s like to manage and control a game.

“It’s not about getting absolutely everything right because there is no such thing. Our game is not black and white, it’s so complex.

(Photo by Dan Mullan/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

“So, for me, it was about trying to get as many games under my belt as I could and seeing where the journey took me.

“I never thought it would take me to this stage 15 years on.”

Representing the IRFU, Brace took charge of his first league game in September 2015, when he headed back to the Arms Park to oversee Cardiff v Zebre.

Two years later, he was refereeing at Test level, with his first Tier One appointment being Argentina v Wales in 2018, and he has steadily progressed through the ranks, being selected to the officiating panel for last autumn’s World Cup and taking charge of Scotland v England in this year’s Six Nations.

“It’s a great game, it’s a great job, I wouldn’t change it for the world,” he says.

“You are travelling the world, you get to referee some of the biggest games. To do South Africa v New Zealand in Ellis Park, with how iconic that venue is, they are the games you want to be a part of.

“Obviously, not everything is plain sailing. You get one or two big decisions that don’t go your way and then all of a sudden that’s completely magnified by everybody on social media, with the way that everybody has an opinion now.

“I think the biggest thing for us is you know you are not going to come out of a game where everybody is going to be singing your praises as a referee.

“If you are in the job for that, then you're in the wrong job.

“For me, it’s about getting the big moments right and being as accurate as you can be with the big decisions.

“If you don’t nail those big moments, the whole performance is critiqued.”

As for his thoughts on the role of a referee, he says: “We don’t want to blow the whistle every single time.

“We want to get more ball in play, we want more flow in the game, we want more space.

“We don’t want the endless box kicking and caterpillar rucks. There is a big emphasis on us to speed that area up.

“It’s trying to find that balance between enforcing the law, but ensuring we have momentum in the game, with safety being paramount.

“We know how complex the game is and it’s not getting any easier.

“Our game is a contest, we have to blow the whistle, but it’s getting that right balance between contest and continuity.”

Giving his thoughts on the BKT URC, he said:

“I believe we are in a really strong place. It’s become so competitive.

Ken Owen and Jamie Ritchie chat with referee Andrew Brace - PA

“Bringing in the South African teams has helped that and really driven the tournament across the board.

“There are no easy games. It’s as competitive as it’s ever been and we have to match that with the standards of our refereeing.”

As for that somewhat unique CV of his, he says:

“I do sound like the United Nations with all the countries I have represented!

“I’m Welsh and I always will be, but I work for the Irish Rugby Union and I’m there to do a job. As a referee, you’re not supporting anyone, you’re a ref. It’s Team A v Team B.”

And, this weekend, that means Ospreys v Stormers as he closes in on that century of league games.