Otago had a major influence on a game of Super Rugby at the weekend.
It just was not the one you were expecting.
Before the Highlanders — with a light sprinkling of Otago players — clashed with the Force in Invercargill, Otago featured prominently in the match of the round at Eden Park on Saturday night.
No, we are not talking about former Southern hooker Ricky Riccitelli starting for the Blues, or Otago players George Bower or Christian Lio-Willie on the bench for the Crusaders.
The entire officiating crew for the repeat of last year’s final came through the Otago refereeing system.
Otago referee James Doleman had three familiar faces in the support positions.
Dunedin-based Fraser Hannon was an assistant referee alongside Jono Bredin, who came through the whistle ranks — of netball, then rugby — in Dunedin before heading to the North Island.
Completing the crew, Dunedin television match official Chris Hart was up in the box.
If it is not a New Zealand first, having set of referees moulded in the same province is certainly a rarity, and highlights the work done in the South, particularly by former long-serving referee Jim Thomson.
Doleman is the poster boy of the group.
He refereed his first Super Rugby game in 2020, and made his test debut when he whistled Australia-France a year later.
Doleman made his Six Nations debut when he controlled England-Italy last month.
