Jamie Bloem


Jamie Bloem is a rugby league referee. He is a former rugby league and rugby union footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s, and coached in the 2000s and 2010s. He played representative rugby league for South Africa, and Scotland, and at club level for Cape Town Coasters, Castleford, Oldham, Doncaster, Widnes Vikings, Halifax , Huddersfield Giants, and player-coach for Stainland Stags ARLFC, as a, or, and provincial level rugby union for Western Province, and at club level for Union Milnerton RFC, Racing Métro 92, Halifax RUFC and player-coach for Thornensians RUFC, Old Brodleians RUFC, Old Rishworthians RUFC, and Halifax Vandals RUFC. As of 2012, he runs a landscape gardening business in Halifax, West Yorkshire.

Background

Bloem was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. He is of Scottish and South African descent.

Rugby league

Club career

Bloem initially played his club rugby league for the Cape Town Coasters in South Africa, he also played in France and has travelled extensively as a player, he became player-coach at Stainland Stags ARLFC during the Pennine League 2010–11 season.

Drugs ban

In November 1994, Bloem was the first rugby league player to test positive for performance enhancing anabolic steroid nandrolone, he was banned for two years.

Representative career

Bloem was the captain of South Africa during the 2000 World Cup, he was eligible for Scotland through his mother's nationality.

Rugby union

Bloem has also had spells with rugby union sides; Halifax RUFC, Thornensians RUFC, and Old Brodleians RUFC, whom he took to their first promotion in 75 years, he transferred to Old Rishworthians RUFC as player-coach for the 2007–08 season, he was the top point scorer for Old Rishworthians in 2007–08, breaking the club record with 375 points in the season, he became player-coach at Halifax Vandals RUFC at the start of the 2013–2014 season.

Later years

Bloem became a BBC radio rugby league sports summariser, and a rugby league referee and controlled the Nordic Cup match between Norway and Sweden at Partille Ground, Gothenburg on Saturday 30 October 2010.

Wrongly accused

Jamie Bloem was wrongly accused of having sex with a minor, the charge was found to be completely without foundation.