Damon Murphy: Meet the rugby referee and former sevens player

Damon Murphy was born on 15 December 1984 in Brisbane, Australia. 

He started in rugby as a player. Murphy competed for Brothers Old Boys, Rebels and Queensland. He was first selected for Australia Sevens in 2004 and he captained the team during his six year international career.

Fellow referee Nic Berry convinced Murphy to become an official at a wedding they attended.

Murphy’s refereeing career took off in 2016. He took charge of his first Queensland Premier Rugby and Australia’s National Rugby Championship matches.

He will make his Six Nations debut when he officiates Italy v England at the 2022 tournament.

Murphy’s younger brother Dallan was also a rugby player and competed for the Queensland Reds.

What are Murphy’s refereeing milestones?

Murphy has said he doesn’t set career goals. He told Rugby.co.au: “I’m not sure I have a favourite memory as a referee, it’s all happened so quickly but there have been some very satisfying moments.

“To name a couple, doing my first Super Rugby game was very satisfying, doing my first Tier One Test between New Zealand and Fiji and probably the most recent one was doing the gold medal match at the Tokyo Olympics. I don’t go out there and referee for the accolades, you set yourself goals and you go along.

“I don’t set appointment goals, to be recognised and given those opportunities I think is a reflection of all the hard work that we put in and all that stuff is very unbeknown to people. People don’t quite understand the work referees in Super Rugby and in Australia/New Zealand put into it.”

Download the digital edition of Rugby World straight to your tablet or subscribe to the print edition to get the magazine delivered to your door.

Follow Rugby World on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.