Paul Williams

Born in Taranaki, New Zealand, in 1985, Williams started his refereeing career in 2011 while still playing at scrum-half at club level. He was appointed to the New Zealand High Performance referee squad three years later, and quickly rose up through the domestic ranks before becoming a full-time referee on the Super Rugby panel in 2016.Williams found himself on the end of a remarkable attack from a South African news publication, which tore into his officiating of the Springboks' clash with Australia in the 2022 Rugby Championship. The South African demanded the referee banned from refereeing elite international matches going forward, accusing him of bringing shame on the sport.