Adamson to swap boots for whistle
Published on 1 November 2013

Michael Lamont

MIKE ADAMSON never played for Scotland at full international level but has designs on reaching the top as a referee.

The former Glasgow Warriors fly-half plans to hang up his boots at the end of the season after 11 years with Glasgow Hawks.

"I turn 30 in May and feel I've achieved as much as I can playing rugby, but I still want to be successful in the sport." he said. "I have been refereeing schools and university games recently and am taking charge of a cup game between Heriot's and Livingston in the coming weeks.

"From my playing background, I feel I understand the game well. A good game of rugby is dependent on a good referee and I think I understand what the players are trying to achieve on the pitch and have empathy during the game to help ensure a good match.

"Former players usually go down the coaching route after retirement but I feel I will be able to achieve more through refereeing. I have gained a lot from rugby and would like to give back to the sport."

No Scottish referee has taken charge of a Six Nations match for nine years but Adamson has aspirations towards being involved at the highest level. "I was an ambitious player and will aim high as a referee," he said. "There are a lot of steps to be taken but I'm up for the challenge."

Adamson coaches in the community for Scottish Rugby and was recently involved in October holiday camps for school children in the Glasgow area. Having played for the Warriors, the former Scotland Sevens player looked around Scotstoun and reflected on how things have altered at the club.

"I've witnessed a lot of changes," he said. "I was involved with the Warriors in 2006 on a part-time contract before going full-time with the club for two years. I then had a Sevens contract but was still based at Scotstoun. When I joined Glasgow they were lingering close to the bottom of the table and had four or five different training venues, which was far from ideal. Now they have a central hub at Scotstoun which has really benefited the team."

Last weekend Adamson played alongside the latest Warriors recruit who is yet to appear for the pro team. Signed from the Fiji Barabarians on a two year contract in the summer, Leone Nakarawa played for Glasgow Hawks in their 24-8 win over Edinburgh Accies.

"He is a big presence on the pitch and is a great ball carrier who looks to offload a lot," said Adamson. "He definitely has the potential to impress with Warriors, expecially con­sidering their style of play. I don't think they have a player with the ability to offload out of contact as well as he can."

While Adamson never played for Scotland at 15-a-side, he was a regular sevens internationalist and played at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. He is already looking forward to Glasgow 2014 at Ibrox.

"I played for Scotland in Delhi where we reached the plate final before losing out to Samoa," he said. "It was an incredible experience and something totally different. There were thousands of athletes all based in the same place and you were part of a wider team so it was really enjoyable to be around other athletes and see how they prepare for their competitions.

"I'll be there cheering on the team in Glasgow, hoping we can improve on our sixth placing in Delhi. I've got my tickets and have heard lots of people have done the same. The finals day is close to a sell-out which is excellent

This article was posted on 1-Nov-2013, 07:25 by Hugh Barrow.