Karl Dickson is a globally acclaimed figure in the realm of rugby, celebrated for his dual roles as a professional Rugby Union referee and a former England and Harlequins player. His illustrious refereeing career reached new pinnacles during the 2023 Rugby World Cup, where he officiated the quarter-final between Wales and Argentina and served as the assistant referee in the final between South Africa and New Zealand.
Having begun his professional rugby journey with Bedford Blues, Karl manned the number 9 shirt and dictated play for 107 appearances before catching the attention of London club, Harlequins, who he signed for in 2009. Over the course of his time with Harlequins, Karl contributed significantly to the team's success, notching an impressive 169 appearances. Notably, he shared the scrum half responsibilities with Danny Care and played a pivotal role in the 2012 Premiership final victory over Leicester Tigers.
While Karl concluded his professional playing career in 2017, he demonstrated an enduring passion for the sport by seamlessly transitioning to a new chapter. In a move that reflected his commitment to the game, he announced his affiliation with the Rugby Football Union's Professional Game Match Officials Team (PGMOT). Embracing the challenges of his new role, Karl's dedication and hard work swiftly earned him admiration and respect from players and fans alike.
Karl's unique perspective, stemming from his experiences as both a player and a referee, affords him an unparalleled understanding of rugby. This dual insight has contributed to his popularity and standing as a highly respected figure in the rugby community and saw his journey reach a pinnacle in 2023 when he achieved every referee's aspiration – officiating key matches in a Rugby World Cup.
Making a split second decision, in front of thousands (sometimes millions) of people, live, with impactful results....this is Karl's everyday job. Hear how he copes with this pressure
Being a referee means you're subject to scrutiny and judgement which inevitably has an impact to your mental health! It also means you have to be as fit as high performing athletes to keep up with play. Hear on both matters from Karl.
Karl's story is unique as he tells it from both the rugby player and referee's perspective. Hear about the adversity and setbacks he's obtained and currently obtaining during his career.
A fundamental in todays game is a high performing team! Everyone has to have complete trust and accountability. Hear from Karl on how he installs these characteristics.
Like all of us, Karl's career is not without flaws and mistakes. He's candid with his and talks about his resilient nature that allows him to continue to progress.
Managing two high performing teams and being part of a high performing refereeing team requires high performance in itself! Karl talks about what this takes; as well as once being a professional Rugby player himself.
Karl's communication has to be clear, concise and consistent, his career depends on it. Understand techniques and methods in how he does this alongside the pressure associated with it.
Being confident in your convictions is the only way Karl is respected in the game. He stands by his decisions, but is confident enough to review and reflect when he's got it wrong