Nigel Williams of Wales has been a full time referee for just under two years, during which time he has achieved IRB status, made his Test debut and refereed both the 2003 Parker Pen Challenge Cup and Welsh Cup finals.
The 42 year old, a member of the West Society of WRU (Welsh Rugby Union) Referees, had the honour of refereeing New Zealand against Italy on June 8 2002 for his Test debut, a match the All Blacks won 64-10 in Hamilton’s Waikato Stadium.
Williams took up refereeing in 1991 after being encouraged to do so by his uncle Clayton Thomas, the former international referee who himself officiated at the 1995 and 1999 Rugby World Cups, and is clearly a referee on an upward curve.
In his younger days Williams, a former Internet marketing consultant before joining the full time refereeing ranks, represented Welsh Schools at Under 16 as a scrum half and also captained the Wales Under 19 team in the first World Sevens tournament.
Williams reverted to the fly half position for village side Bryncoch before joining Neath in the early 1980s, only to return after a solitary season and work his way through the ranks of player, captain, coach, secretary and treasurer.