Referee badge earned

COLIN SMITH/Fairfax NZ

WHISTLEBLOWER: Tash Kara, 17, of Nelson has qualified as a level-one touch rugby referee.

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Nelson teen Tash Kara is on the way to becoming a top-flight touch rugby referee, after recently earning her level-one badge.

A group of referees went to Christchurch during the recent South Island junior IPS tournament, where they were assessed and graded.

Tash was one of the only referees to earn her badge at the tournament, and hoped to encourage others to referee as well.

She is likely to take charge of matches at the under-15 and under-17 national tournament, to be held in Nelson later this year.

Tash has represented New Zealand twice at touch, and has also played for the Canterbury open mixed team, Canterbury under-21 mixed, Canterbury under-21 girls, Nelson open women and recently trialled for a spot into the Nelson open mixed touch squad who are training for the 2012 nationals in Palmerston North.

Last month she travelled away with the Auckland senior women's rugby sevens team to Rarotonga.

- © Fairfax NZ News