Ed Morrison celebrated at UBRFC

Following the 1st XV UBRFC game v Hartpury University Bob Reeves held a reception for players past and present, supporters and parents in the DJ pavilion next to the pitch.

During the reception Bob Reeves took the opportunity to thank and celebrate Ed Morrison a Bristol great who famously refereed the World Cup Final in South Africa in 1995. Ed was awarded with a plaque that will be put up in the DJ pavilion to add to the large amount of memorabilia already on display that has been kindly donated by Bob Reeves.

Ed Morrison used to love refereeing at Coombe Dingle, once claiming that he had helped win more games for UBRFC than the players had. He was a long-time member of the Bristol Referees Society, becoming President after he retired from refereeing. He helped Bristol become the first University to have its own referee society, chaired by undergraduate student, Tom Foley, who also went on to become an international referee, and was TMO at

the Rugby World Cup Final in 2023.

The 1995 Rugby World Cup Final was dramatic, with South Africa beating New Zealand in extra-time, cheered on by the whole ‘rainbow nation’ as it became called, and in front of Nelson Mandela. It was commonly regarded that Ed managed the game superbly, and he was justifiably regarded as being the best referee in the world.

Ed came back to Bristol straight after the Final, and on the Monday, he called Bob Reeves, Director of Sport, Exercise and Health, saying he could do with a runout on the Wednesday. So it was that Ed refereed a University 3rd XV game five days after the World Cup Final.

Ed received the OBE for services to rugby, but said he was just as proud of the Honorary MA degree he was awarded by Bristol University in 2000. The University held a dinner at Coombe Dingle to celebrate his achievements, which was attended by many rugby celebrities.