Paul Williams
New Zealand rugby union referee
About Paul Williams
Born 1985. Paul Williams is a New Zealand rugby union match official.
Williams started refereeing in 2011 while still playing at halfback at club level and was appointed to the New Zealand High Performance referee squad in 2014. He quickly rose up the domestic ranks of refereeing, ultimately becoming a full-time referee on the Super Rugby panel in 2016, the first ever from Taranaki.
Williams refereed the 2016 World Rugby U20 Championship final between England and Ireland.
In June 2017, Williams took charge of his first international test match, between Italy and Scotland in Singapore.
In 2018, Williams refereed eight Super Rugby matches as well as three further Tier 1 tests.
Williams was selected to referee at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan and the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
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Important facts
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Paul Williams's
Frequently asked questions
Who is Paul Williams?
New Zealand rugby union referee
When was Paul Williams born?
Paul Williams was born on 11 April 1985 in Waverley.
What is Paul Williams's occupation?
Paul Williams is a rugby union match official.
What nationality is Paul Williams?
Paul Williams is New Zealand.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Paul Williams (rugby union referee)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Paul Williams. https://biography.guide/paul-williams-rugby-union-match-official/
MLA: "Paul Williams." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/paul-williams-rugby-union-match-official/.
Chicago: "Paul Williams." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/paul-williams-rugby-union-match-official/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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