Ben Blain

Ben Blain (born 16 September 1988) is a professional rugby union referee who represents the Scottish Rugby Union.^[1]

Ben Blain

Birth name	Ben Blain Nickname = the shrub
Date of birth	(1988-09-16) 16 September 1988 (age 34)
Place of birth	Carlisle, England
University	Northumbria University
Occupation(s)	Rugby union referee
Rugby union career
Position(s) Scrum-half Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) – Carlisle RFC () Refereeing career Years Competition Apps 2015 2016– 2017– 2018– 2019– 2019– National League 1 Scottish Premiership European Challenge Cup Pro14 Rugby Europe International Championships Super 6

Rugby union career

Playing career

Amateur career

Blain played with Carlisle RFC as a scrum-half.^[2]

Referee career

Professional career

Blain began refereeing with Cumbria Referee Society.^{[3][non-primary source needed]} By 2015 he was refereeing local English matches in National League 1.^[4] and Academy matches for the English Premiership.^[5]

In 2016, Blain joined the Scottish Rugby Union to be part of their referee group. He is now a member of the Borders Referee Society. He was promoted to the Elite SRU refereeing panel in 2017.^[6]

He now referees in the Scottish Premiership.^[7][8]

He has now refereed in the Pro14.^[9] He made his debut in the Dragons v Munster match in January 2019.^[10]

He has also refereed in the European Challenge Cup.^[11][12][13]

Blain refereed his first Super 6 match on 14 December 2019 when the Ayrshire Bulls played Stirling County.^[14]

He refereed his first 1872 Cup match on 21 December 2019.^[15]

International career

Blain refereed the Belgium v Georgia in March 2019.^[16]

Blain has been picked as Assistant Referee for International matches.^[17]

He has also refereed in U20 Six Nations matches.^[9]

Outside of rugby

Blain is a chartered surveyor and has a degree in Estate Management from Northumbria University.^[18]

References

1. "Zebre Rugby team to face Connacht Rugby". Guinness PRO14. 5 April 2019.
2. "Ben Blain on the up! – News – Carlisle Rugby Club". pitchero.com.
3. Rugby, Carlisle (29 July 2017). "Good to see local referee Ben Blain in the thick of things. @RefereeCumbria @CumbriaRDOhttps://twitter.com/premrugby/status/891244693832519680 …".
4. Clarke, Roger (19 January 2015). "Caldy 23 Stourbridge RFC 22: Stour fury as ref refuses to cut any slack". Birmingham Mail.
5. client (16 February 2015). "U18 Academy Finals: Gloucester Rugby 6 Exeter Chiefs 11".
6. "CRFC Fans – Ben Blain". cardiffrfcfans.com.
7. "Glasgow Hawks 14 – Heriot's 46: Matt Smith is red-carded". The Scotsman.
8. "Glasgow Hawks RFC 14 vs. 46 Heriot's Rugby Club – 1 September 2018 – HAWKS – Glasgow Hawks RFC". glasgowhawks.com.
9. "Referee Ben Blain set to make Guinness Pro14 debut". Scottish Rugby Union.
10. Lloyd, Rob (26 January 2019). "The Dragons suffered the most agonising defeat against Munster". walesonline.
11. "2017–2018". site-epcr.soticcloud.net.
12. "Match officials to October 21". 17 October 2018.
13. "European Champions and Challenge Cup referees announced – %". 4 October 2018.
14. Hay, Iain (14 December 2019). "Super6: Ayrshire Bulls blast past Stirling County with a big second half performance". The Offside Line.
15. "Glasgow Warriors 20–16 Edinburgh". Glasgow Warriors.
16. "Guinness PRO14". pro14.rugby.
17. "World Rugby Officiating: The home of Rugby officiating on the web". officiating.worldrugby.org.
18. "The Team – Carigiet Cowen Chartered Surveyors – Commercial Property Specialists". carigietcowen.co.uk.