The Story
From Club Referee to Test Match Level
Dr Ben O'Keeffe is an international rugby referee from New Zealand — operating at the highest level of the game across Test matches, Super Rugby, and global tournaments including two Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions series.
Known for his calm presence, clear communication, and accuracy under pressure, Ben holds national records for first-class, Super Rugby, and Test matches officiated — making him New Zealand's most experienced referee in the history of the game.
"I didn't start at Test level. I know exactly what it takes to develop from a club referee into someone who can control a game with authority."
Alongside refereeing, Ben is a qualified medical doctor — applying the same discipline, precision, and decision-making under pressure to clinical practice that he brings to the field. The overlap between elite performance, human behaviour under stress, and systematic thinking runs through everything he does.
He built the Referee Performance Framework from everything he wished he'd had earlier in his career — practical, video-based coaching covering positioning, decision-making, game management, and communication. Not theory. Systems that work in real games, at real pace, under real pressure.
Based in New Zealand, Ben continues to referee at the international level while coaching referees worldwide through the framework and private community.
About Ben O'Keeffe
International Referee.
Medical Doctor.
Referee Coach.
Career at a Glance
A Record Built Over Two Decades
Ben's career spans over two decades of elite refereeing — from his first provincial appointment in New Zealand to the pinnacle of the international game. Every milestone was earned through consistency, preparation, and a relentless focus on performance.
2
Rugby World Cups
2
Lions Series
50+
Test Matches
NZ#1
Three National Records
2019
Rugby World Cup Japan
First Rugby World Cup appointment. Officiated including as Assistant Referee for the Quarter Final, Semi Final, and Final — one of the highest honours in international refereeing.
2021
British & Irish Lions Series — South Africa
Selected for the Lions series in South Africa — one of rugby's most iconic touring events, contested every four years.
2022
NZ Record — First-Class Matches NZ Record
Set the New Zealand record for most first-class matches officiated, surpassing all previous records in the history of New Zealand rugby.
2022
NZ Record — Super Rugby Games NZ Record
Set the New Zealand record for most Super Rugby matches officiated — the most competitive club competition in the southern hemisphere.
2023
Rugby World Cup France
Second Rugby World Cup appointment — officiated across pool and knockout stages in France, including high-profile Test nation fixtures.
2025
British & Irish Lions Series — Australia
Second Lions series appointment — First Test at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane. One of only a small number of referees to have officiated two Lions series.
2025
NZ Record — Test Matches NZ Record
Set the New Zealand record for most Test matches officiated — the first New Zealand referee to reach this milestone.
Ongoing
Referee Performance Framework
Building and growing the coaching platform — sharing Test match systems with referees at every level worldwide.
Beyond the Field
Referee, Doctor, Coach.
What makes Ben's perspective unique isn't just the volume of matches at the top level — it's the combination of elite sporting performance and medical science that shapes how he thinks about decision-making, pressure, and human performance.
As a qualified medical doctor, Ben brings a clinical precision to how he analyses performance — his own and others. The frameworks he's built for refereeing draw on the same systematic thinking applied in medicine: assess the picture, apply the framework, make the call.
Decision-Making Under Pressure
Medical training and elite refereeing demand the same skill — fast, accurate decisions when it matters most.
Systematic Thinking
Every framework Ben teaches is built the same way a clinical protocol is — structured, repeatable, and reliable under stress.
Performance Under Scrutiny
Both careers demand composure when every decision is watched, reviewed, and judged — a perspective few coaches can offer.
Work With Ben
Ready to Referee at Your Best?
The Referee Performance Framework gives you the exact systems used at Test match level — video coaching, practical tools, and a private community to help you improve fast.
Questions? Email hello@benokeeffe.com