Thursday 11 May 2017

Dear WRU

Something a little different today. Having a name like Gareth Davies in Wales means you are not easily found on Google. There are many of us. Rugby players, photographers, doctors, rugby referees and bigwigs in the Welsh Government all share my name. It is because of this that from time to time, I get emails from someone in the Welsh Rugby Union asking me if I would like to referee a game of rugby.

This was the latest one I got. (The names have been changed to protect the innocent.) 


Hi
Eric Moles gave me your contact details as you are a level 2 rugby referee in the Ospreys region

I would like to invite you to get involved in refereeing this summer in the WRU touch rugby competition that runs on weekday evenings during the summer between May and July.  It runs for 10 weeks... 

The letter went on to explain the process and the requirements, I won't bore you with the details. This was my reply. 

Dear Arnie, 
Thank you for getting in touch. (excuse the pun). 
I have no idea who Eric Moles is, and no Idea why he might think I am a level two referee in the Ospreys. region.
I am sure there must be hundreds of Gareth Davieses in Wales, but this one is a struggling writer with an injured right leg who lives in the Cardiff Blues region.
Now, if you would like me to come and hobble around a rugby field with a whistle in my mouth, I am more than happy to do so, but I fear I might ruin rather than enhance the experience for your players. 
This is the umpteenth time I've received such an invitation and each time I reply because I presume the Gareth Davies who is a referee is sitting at home alone in his pants wondering why no one contacts him and wondering why a grey haired writer is reffing games that should have been his. So, I presume he is grateful for me taking my time to reply, but...
please could you contact Mr Eric Moles (who is obviously as bad an administrator as he was a referee) and ask him to ensure he gives out the correct email address in future. Otherwise, I might see if the clickbait rag Wales Online would be interested in me getting confidential missives from the WRU or I might, just might actually agree to do it and actually turn up. Being a Cardiff Blues fan I've no idea of the rules of rugby, but I'm sure I could do just a good a job as Eric Moles did in his refereeing days. 
Thank you 
I hope you find enough officials to make your events successful. 
Gareth (not a referee ) Davies.

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