Iain Ramage holds the mantle as Scotland’s only representative on the International Rugby Board’s (IRB) panel of 26 referees following his reinstatement in April 2003 after good assessments.
A quantity surveyor by profession, Ramage is a member of the Scottish Borders Referees Association, having started refereeing in 1983 after injury had cut short his playing career the previous year.
Ramage, who turns 47 during the pool stages of Rugby World Cup 2003, played as a scrum-half with Borders District outfit Berwick and Gosforth in England before going on to win representative honours with both Northumberland and the Scottish Exiles.
His Test debut came on December 1 1996 when Australia overcame Wales 28-19 at Cardiff Arms Park and Ramage has since gone on to control matches at the Hong Kong Sevens and in the European Cup.
Ramage, who is married with two children, is no stranger to the atmosphere of a Rugby World Cup having appeared as a touch judge in 1999 with his first game being France’s 47-13 defeat of Namibia in Bordeaux.
The Scot went on to appear as touch judge in three other games in the pool stages of Rugby World Cup 1999.