George to call world cup shots

To hang your sporting boots up at age 10 and pick up a whistle instead is a gutsy move by anyone's standards, but it's certainly paying off in spades for teenager George Haswell.

George Haswell is Australia bound as a referee at the Touch Rugby World Cup. Photo by Bruce Barnard.

But like any sport the pinnacle rests with its world cup, and this 15-year-old Mount Maunganui referee is preparing to secure another slice of sporting history by blowing the whistle in next week's Touch Rugby World Cup in Coffs Harbour, Australia.

In the last five years George has climbed the refereeing ladder, both in New Zealand Touch Rugby and Bay of Plenty Rugby ranks, with considerable speed.

'In the NZ referee squad I'm the youngest [of the 29 Kiwi referees] and I think I'll be the youngest in history to go to a world cup.

'I was the youngest in test match history when I did a match at the Youth Trans-Tasman Series.”

In fact it was January's three-test youth series, in Cronulla, Australia, where George proved himself. Fellow referees put his name forward as the Mount teen opted against it due to age and 'inexperience”.

At such a young age, yet to sit his driver licence or senior exams, George admits this international call-up comes as a surprise, but he's more than ready for the chance with backing from the Kiwi selectors.

'Being 15 I never thought I'd be going to the world cup or even do a test match. I've been pushed up the ranks pretty quick, which is quite good I suppose.”

Not the flashest player growing up, George admits he made the call early on to put his passion for Touch Rugby into refereeing and he isn't looking back – refereeing touch in summer and rugby in winter, picking up his first premier grade appointment this season.

But he holds touch rugby closest to his heart. 'I was never really a good touch player and I still loved watching the sport and being involved.

'Touch it's a lot faster and you have to be a lot fitter than rugby, where you have stoppages with scrums and lineouts.”

Joining George from the BOP refereeing ranks are Brian Pohatu, Jackson Reuben, Kiri Martin, and Te Puia Williams.

Teams from 25 countries will participate during the five-day tournament led by the host nation Australia, which is looking for an unprecedented eighth consecutive World Cup Champions Trophy victory. New Zealand is the only rival to lift the coveted trophy.

The 2015 Touch World Cup is April 29-May 3 at Coffs Harbour, Australia.

George thanks Mount Maunganui Lions Club and 1st Call Recruitment for helping get him to the world cup.

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