Paddy O'Brien backs Steve Walsh comeback

IRB referee manager Paddy O'Brien hopes Steve Walsh can overcome his issues to return to rugby and says the door is open for a recall to whistling test matches.

Walsh stepped down from refereeing yesterday as he and the NZRU split ways under an employment cloud that included Walsh admitting he had been under the influence at alcohol at a Sanzar conference in Australia late last year.

That was the straw that broke the camel's back as the NZRU's patience with Walsh ran out despite his pleas for another chance.

Now he is out of work, eager to pursue other interests but also signalling a willingness to return to refereeing.

That will probably be out of New Zealand now and O'Brien says that is possible.

The IRB calls for nominations from national unions for their top refereeing panel. While Walsh won't get that nomination from New Zealand he is free to try to align himself with another country, go through their system and gain a nomination.

O'Brien said Walsh had too much ability to waste.

"If he goes away and addresses his problems and gets another union to nominate him to the IRB I'm absolutely sure that we will select him again because he is one of the world's best referees," O'Brien told RadioSport today.

"I'd love to see him come back and I hope he can. He knows it's up to him and not others.

"If he can go through another country's system we would look at him on merit.

"At 36 the world is still his oyster. As opposed to knocking him I admire him for owning up to his problems and I hope that he can come back."

There have been ongoing onfield issues at IRB level with Walsh. These had surfaced at the 2003 World Cup in Australia and during the 2005 British & Irish Lions' tour of New Zealand where he clashed with team officials and players.

O'Brien said these had been addressed at the time.

"He's always, at the end of the day, performed on the field. But the whole package has to be both on and off the field."

O'Brien said it was "sad to lose a ref of the calibre of Walsh".

"You don't get refs overnight. But any sport is bigger than the individual. Steve is the first to admit that. While we don't want to lose him there is no one that is indispensable and we have got to move on."

O'Brien, who bases himself between Southland and IRB headquarters in Dublin, has been something of a mentor to Walsh in terms of professional refereeing and also personal friend.

In an area of the game often deemed conservative, Walsh stood out as an individual with a bit of flamboyance to his personality on and off the field. O'Brien said that when controlled properly that was one of his real strengths as a referee.

"I want them (referees) to be who they are and that's one of the qualities that he has.

"When you are true to who you are you perform best. Steve is Steve and that's when he was at his best. Probably when he went into his shell that's when he didn't perform.

"I have no issue with him personality-wise. That's who Steve Walsh is.

"I just hope Steve can overcome some problems which he has been honest enough to put his hand up and say he has got."

- © Fairfax NZ News