Article: RWC 2015 Referee - JP Doyle

[Robert Burns]

You can view the page at http://www.rugbyrefs.com/content.php...feree-JP-Doyle

[TheBFG]

apparently I don't have permission to view it?

[menace]

Rob could give it to you, but then he'd have to kill you.

(Ps - neither do I).

[4eyesbetter]

Guess I'm just more special than you lot, then...

[Robert Burns]

Strange. I'll look into this weirdness.

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

Is JP Doyle the only Elite Referee named after a Pope?

[crossref]

is the ref a catholic?

[Dixie]

apparently I don't have permission to view it?

Rob could give it to you, but then he'd have to kill you.

(Ps - neither do I).

You probably have to retire first ...

JP (John Paul) Doyle is a referee that all English rugby fans will know. Having risen up the ranks quickly in the RFU, JP became a full time referee in 2008 as part of the RFU's elite referee trainee program, and had his contract as a full time referee confirmed two years later on completion. JP, as Pascal Gaüzère has also only refereed a handful of tier one international games, but both referees are very experienced in the professional game of rugby.

Born in Dublin, Ireland, JP grew up playing for scrum half for Terenure College RFC in Ireland, and then St Mary's University College, Twickenham, where he trained to become a teacher.

JP is not the first in his family to have taken up the whistle, his father Terry Doyle was a referee, and also President of the Leinster Branch of the IRFU Rugby Referees Association. JP had started refereeing in Ireland with the Leinster branch, but joined the London Society of Rugby Union Football Referees (LSRFUR) upon moving to England in 2003. By the end of his first season in London JP had been promoted to the South East group (A panel of referees with potential to join the National Panel) and in 2006 he was promoted to the National Panel.

Another graduate of World Rugby's Junior World Championship pathway, JP attended the 2010, 2011 & 2012 tournaments as a referee.

During his tenure as a full time referee JP has also refereed on the Seven's World Series, Pacific Nations Cup, and in 2014 was appointed to the final of the Aviva Premiership. JP went on to make his 6 Nations debut in 2015 in the Italy vs France game.

Off the field JP is also a keen golfer, and plays off a low handicap. He also partakes in various organised runs around London.

In this years Rugby World Cup JP Doyle has been appointed to the following group games:

•Argentina v Georgia
•France v Canada
•Fiji v Uruguay

[L'irlandais]

Is JP Doyle the only Elite Referee named after a Pope?

current Pope is JM (Jorge Mario) from what I can gather.

[Rushforth]

current Pope is JM (Jorge Mario) from what I can gather.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_Paul

Note sure if the parents of somebody born in Ireland in 1979 would know what the current pontifex is called.