He may only have turned 35 in July, but Stuart Dickinson already has more than 20 years experience as a referee, having started with the whistle as a 12 year old with the Eastwood District Union in his native Sydney.
Dickinson, a member of the New South Wales Referees Association, would play as a full back cum fly half for Epping Boys High School during the week and then referee on weekends.
The Australian did take a break from refereeing after leaving school, playing Under 21 rugby for Eastwood for two years, but returned and has now been a professional referee since 1997.
That was the year of his first Test with Papua New Guinea’s 92-6 defeat of Tahiti in a Rugby World Cup qualifier, with the Wembley meeting of Wales and South Africa in November 1998 being his first major Test.
Dickinson made his Rugby World Cup debut in 1999 with Scotland’s 43-12 defeat of Uruguay in the pool stages and was hugged by a jubilant Felipe Contepomi after Argentina overcame Ireland to reach the quarter finals.
A former site manager with Linfox Transport Company, Dickinson has completed a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration since becoming a professional referee.