JP Doyle making his presence felt in the US

I always thought JP Doyle was a top ref, I always wondered why he was in the English system and not the Pro14 system.

I think he started reffing in Ireland but changed across when he moved to England. Good ref, I was surprised when he was made redundant. I'm also surprised that there was no offers from Ireland to bring him to the Pro14. The US league have recruited wisely there, he's got years left in the tank and he's got enough experience to be an excellent mentor.

Now he has reffed as an RFU does that mean he cannot change? I.E say he was to move back to Ireland and become an IRFU ref, could he then ref England games but not ones involving Ireland? Opposite of before.
I think the PRO 14 missed a chance not signing him. Even if he couldn't ref at international level again, he is still good. Maybe though with an influx of SA refs incoming the PRO14 decided it would has enough?

This is a bit strange to me also. He is a good ref, and I think better than some I have seen doing games. Very surprised the RFU let him go. Glad he is upping the quality in the US, but I think it is odd he wasn't picked up elsewhere.

I had heard that the RFU let him go to give more opportunities to up and coming English refs.

Intotouch wrote:I had heard that the RFU let him go to give more opportunities to up and coming English refs.

I am sure we would all be happy to trade a couple of refs and bring back Doyle....

How he is not part of the new URC just baffles me, he is one of the best out there.

Maybe he was seen as a rogue character. Maybe powers upon high didn't like a ref holding themselves accountable, making their calls on the field and not referring everything to the TMO adding 60 minutes of "lets watch the ref talk about what they see on the screen, and asking a TMO who couldn't turn on a television set to try and navigate multiple camera angles on the fly" to an 80 minute game.