JP Doyle walked off the pitch at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum after refereeing the 2021 Major League Rugby Final, knowing that it could be his last game as a professional referee. If the stadium that has twice hosted the Olympic Games, the Super Bowl, and the World Series is the venue for his professional swan-song, Doyle, 42, is very relaxed about it.
He is preparing to move his wife and two young children to Scotland to start a new life, finding himself in the same position he was when made redundant by the RFU last August.
He doesn’t rule out returning to America next year, but it would have to fit into the jobs he and his wife have found teaching at Craigclowan Prep School in Perth.
“Potentially, I am in a position where I could go back to the US, but I’d have to work it out with a million different factors and everything else,” said Doyle. “The genuine answer is I don’t know. I am in the position that I was in before. Let’s see how things go over the next wee while.
“That is maybe how I felt coming off after the Major League Rugby final, maybe that’s it, or maybe it’s not. But it is great not to know that you are not making some big arse deal out of it.
“It either was, or it wasn’t. If it was, what a wonderful game to finish on, and if it wasn’t, we’ll go again. You are only a god damn ref. Get on with it.
“Sometimes, you have to accept where your place in things is. If there is more to come, wouldn’t that be cool and brilliant, but if there isn’t, that’s okay. I’ve had a run.”
The Dubliner had officiated 180 Premiership games before he was summarily sacked by the RFU.
But he says he couldn’t afford to feel sorry for himself as he had a young family to feed – not that he would have anyway.
This story is from the August 22, 2021 edition of The Rugby Paper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 22, 2021 edition of The Rugby Paper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
You lived on the edge with Scotland
WHENEVER I cross paths with Paul Ackford, he always shouts across the room, “he taught me everything I knew!” Both of us were called into the England squad on the back of the London division’s famous win over Australia in 1988 but he got into the Test team later that year, and I didn’t.
Appleyard unhappy with date clashes
STAFFORDSHIRE head coach Andy Appleyard believes the RFU are ‘stealing opportunities away from quality players’ due to the opening round of the County Championship being played on the same day as the Papa John’s final.
Eadie has the last laugh for Hartpury
MITCH Eadie went from sinner to saint in a double try-scoring display as Hartpury won in style to keep their hopes alive of finishing the season in the tophalf of the Championship table.
Leinster made to fight all the way
UNDERDOGS Northampton will be rueing a disappointing error strewn opening 55 minutes because after that they were clearly the stronger side as Leinster clung on desperately to reach another final.
Quins have to climb very steep mountain
WHEN Harlequins face Toulouse this afternoon in their first European Cup semi-final in south-west France, it will be one of the biggest games in their history, and the overriding emotion the English club and its supporters will be one of excitement.
YOUNG GUNS
SEANKERR HARLEQUINS & ENGLAND U20 CENTRE
'Ireland in blue' will provide stiffest test
PHIL Dowson and Leo Cullen first crossed paths in European action 10 seasons ago when Northampton did something they had never done before nor since: beating Leinster in Dublin.
Cardiff left in a mess by lively Edinburgh
CARDIFF’S last appearance at the Arms Park this season ended miserably as Edinburgh picked up a valuable four points in their quest for an end of season playoff spot.
Sharks look to have edge in Diamond derby
SALE boss Alex Sanderson has thanked Steve Diamond, his opposite number at Newcastle, for giving him extra motivation to win what has been dubbed ‘the Diamond derby’.
The boys down west who know how to win
THE way they see it down Exeter way, only one team is flying the flag for the region as the Premiership campaign heads for home.