In 2009, World Rugby ripped up the history books and appointed British and Irish referees to officiate on a Lions tour. Not just any Lions tour; this was a tour to the rugby heartland of South Africa.

Officiating at the top is no longer a job for retired men with whistles. The game is too fast. Referees train like the athletes they police and clear a fitness exam that breaks most weekend runners.

That responsibility requires elite conditioning. Before stepping onto the pitch, every World Cup referee must pass a demanding fitness test designed by FIFA. The evaluation measures speed, endurance, ...