The Man in the Middle

Biography of Derek Bevan perhaps the best-known and almost certainly the longest serving rugby union referee in the world, full of insights into the game and its players over the last twenty years, and including a trenchant commentary on the development of rules and professionalism. "A referee can't make a bad game good, but he can make a good game bad." Basing his game on this assumption Derek Bevan became one of the world's best -- and best known -- rugby union referees he retired in 2000, aged fifty, after 32 years as the man in the middle. During his long career he refreed in all four World Cups (a record unlikely to be equalled) including the 1991 Final. He also refereed almost 50 internationals, 4 Welsh Cup Finals, World Cup Sevens, Hong Kong Sevens, Dubai Sevens and the Students World Cup Final. Even in retirement he is refereeing veterans matches around the world. Forced by injury to quit as a player (he'd been sent off 3 times as an "aggressive flanker") his love for the game turned him to refereeing and a prominence he would never have achieved as a player.
He saw huges changes: world cups, player professionalism, the growth of the smaller nations, the development of the IRB and national Unions, rule changes to enhance the game. In this book Bevan explores those changes, recalls great matches and great players, and looks at the future for referees.