Rugby union match officials Rugby union match officials Rugby union match officials are responsible for enforcing the rugby union laws of the game during a match and imposing sanctions on individuals who do not follow the rules. "Every match is under the control of match officials who consist of the referee and two touch judges or assistant referees." Further officials can be authorised depending on the level and form of the game. When the game of rugby union was developed at Rugby school, there were no official rugby referees. It was not until many years later when the game began to spread internationally that
William Cross (rugby union) playing career was over, Cross took up a role within the Scottish Rugby Union, and by 1877 became Scotland's second international rugby referee when he officiated an early encounter between Scotland and England. This was his only international game as a referee, but he continued promoting Scottish rugby, becoming President of the Scottish Rugby Union for the 1882-83 season. William Cross (rugby union) William Cross (circa 1851 - 16 October 1890) was a Scottish rugby internationalist. He is notable for scoring the first conversion in international rugby in 1871 in the match between and , after Angus Buchanan scored a