Referee Matt Cecchin unfazed by pressure

Australian referee Matt Cecchin knows the pressure is on him ahead of the Four Nations match between England and New Zealand.

Speaking exclusively to Love Rugby League, Cecchin insists he will prepare for the game just like any other and react to each decision as it comes.

Tim Sheens and Steve McNamara have both expressed their dissatisfaction with two separate officials during the course of the tournament. With the winner of this Saturday’s match going on to meet Australia in the final at Elland Road, Cecchin will need to be on top of his game to avoid the wrath of the English team and supporters.

He said: “I think there’s pressure every match and I think you can appreciate as a referee.

“I keep things really simple and I do that by going from play the ball to play the ball. That blokes been tackled, no one is around the neck, the hands aren’t on the ball, he’ll get up and play it with his foot, the passes are back or they’re all flat.

“You go from the play the ball to the next play the ball and before you know it 80 minutes are done.”

Cecchin was selected to referee this year’s NRL Grand Final alongside Tony Archer, and got there on merit thanks to his relaxed approach to each game.

He said: “I don’t go there with a preconceived idea of what kind of game I’ll have, because when I have I have become unstuck because very rarely does it go to plan.

“You have 26 individuals on any given night who can do something extremely different each time so you just have to react.”