ASPIRING rugby referees will get the chance to gain a qualification that will allow them to take charge of competitive matches.

The school will be hosting a Welsh Rugby Union Level 1 course on Sunday, October 8, which will run from 9.30am until 3.30pm at New Field on Walshaw Avenue in Colwyn Bay.

As a formal introduction to the principles of officiating, the course aims to get applicants started refereeing.

At a basic level, the course outlines the Laws of the Game and how they should be applied to a match, answers and clarifies general questions about refereeing and discusses the position(s) that referees should take throughout the course of a game.

At the end of successfully completing the course, applicants will have gained a Level 1 Referee Licence and will be clear to referee matches at Junior Level, U16 Level and below and Schools Rugby.

Without the Level 1 Referee Licence, a person cannot referee a match, and the cost of the course is £30.

There are no age restrictions for those wanting to gain the qualification, although WRU rules state you must be aged 16 or over to referee.

Director of Sport Allen Boyd, said: “Without a sufficient number of referees giving up their own time to ensure junior matches take place then there would be no way for young players to develop, and it is essential that we keep the conveyor belt going so that the future of rugby remains promising.”

Anyone wishing to book their place or for more information should contact Paul Adams at padams@wru.wales.