Steve Walsh (rugby referee)

Walsh during 2011 Rugby World Cup

Steve Walsh (born 28 March 1972) is a professional rugby union referee from New Zealand.

Walsh's rugby playing career ended at age 13, due to a spinal injury resulting from a birth deformity and he began refereeing at the age of 16.

In the 2003 Rugby World Cup he was suspended for three days for inappropriate behaviour towards the England rugby team, after an altercation with England fitness coach Dave Reddin. He missed one match and then went on to referee the quarter final between Australia v Scotland. He was suspended for four months in 2005 during the Lions tour of New Zealand for verbally abusing Irish winger Shane Horgan, after a disputed decision. In 2007 he refereed some notable matches, including: the 2007 Super 14 Final, the first international rugby match at Croke Park in Ireland, and refereed four matches including the South Africa – Argentina semi final in the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

On Wednesday 18 March 2009, it was announced that Walsh would lose his job after a third strike on his record - this time turning up drunk to a refereeing conference in Sydney . Wayne Barnes took over from Walsh as referee of the grand slam deciding match in Cardiff on the 21st.

After his sacking by the NZRFU Walsh moved to Bondi, was offered affiliation to the ARFU and as a result began refereeing club rugby in Sydney. His first game on Australian soil was Newington College 1st XV v St Patrick's 1st XV at Johnson Field, Newington College, Stanmore.^{[citation needed]}

He has since progressed to first grade and refereed the Shute Shield semi-final between Sydney University and Eastwood. He narrowly missed out on being appointed to the Grand Final, which was refereed by Stuart Dickinson. It was recently announced that he has been included in the reserve panel of referees for the 2010 Super 14 competition, now representing Australia. He was reappointed to the IRB Elite panel, the highest level, in 2010. He was the referee for the Scotland v Italy match at Murrayfield Stadium in the 2011 Six Nations Championship in March 2011. Walsh has been appointed to the Rugby World Cup 2011 and will referee at least four games in New Zealand, representing the Australian Rugby Union.