Last week, Welsh referee Ben Whitehouse spoke at the Chamber Wales event, sharing what rugby officiating can teach us about leadership under pressure. This week, he has gone further, opening up about what life as a professional referee really looks like, and how his biggest health challenge has shaped the way he now lives and works.
Whitehouse often gets asked: “Oh, you referee rugby, what’s your day job then?”
“Twenty-five years ago, it might have been fair to ask. Refereeing wasn’t necessarily a full-time job back then. But today? When you’re working in the United Rugby Championship flying across countries, managing elite-level games, it’s very much a full-time career,” he explained.
A structured week
His week is finely tuned, designed not just around training and performance but also around recovery, family time and mental health.
- Monday: Training and game reviews on an online analysis platform, followed by a call with an independent performance reviewer
- Tuesday: Training, self-reviews, peer reviews with other pro referees at the WRU’s National Centre of Excellence, then coaching academy referees in the evening
- Wednesday: A rare break, often spent at his daughter’s gymnastics class — coffee in hand
- Thursday: Training plus detailed game preparation, always asking “How can I add value?”
- Friday: Training and travel to the next match destination
- Saturday: Match day
- Sunday: Travel home
Trips to places like South Africa several times each season add to the demands, but Whitehouse says the routine is deliberate. “It gives me balance, time at home, time for training, and time to look after my mental health,” he explained.
Health, recovery and resilience
That balance stems from experience. In 2013, Whitehouse was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. He underwent major surgery in 2017 and was told he might not be able to referee again.
“It was a dark time. There was a point where I didn’t know if I’d step back onto the pitch,” he recalled. “When I finally did, it was emotional. I remember refereeing Ulster against the Barbarians, it felt like a huge milestone.”
The health scare changed the way he approached both life and refereeing. “Before, I probably pushed too hard, burning the candle at both ends, and didn’t give myself enough time to recover. Now I know rest and balance are just as important as physical fitness. That experience forced me to slow down, to prioritise my health and family, and to build mental resilience.”
Pressure with purpose
Despite the challenges, Whitehouse says refereeing continues to give him energy and purpose.
“I love this job. It can be demanding, it can be rewarding, but I think it keeps me sharp. I’d say it’s very different to my police days of 12-hour shifts and nights, but one thing hasn’t changed: the pressure never goes away. It just changed.”
Today, he focuses on what he can control: preparation, recovery, and staying grounded through trusted feedback. “Criticism is part of the job. You can’t ignore it, but you can choose how to respond. For me, it’s about bouncing back quickly and keeping perspective.”
From battling illness to leading on the biggest stages, Ben Whitehouse continues to prove that resilience, balance and preparation are just as important as the whistle itself.
