{{Short description|English rugby league referee}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}} {{Infobox rugby league biography | name = Phil Bentham | fullname = | nickname = | image = | imagesize = | caption = |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|10|28|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Leigh, Greater Manchester|Leigh]], [[Lancashire]], England | death_date = | height = | weight = | refereecomp1 = [[Super League]] | refereeyear1start = 2005 | refereeyear1end = 2018 | refereeappearances1 = 350+ | refereecomp2 = [[Challenge Cup]] | refereeyear2start = 2005 | refereeyear2end = 2018 | refereeappearances2 = 30+ | refereecomp4 = Internationals | refereeyear4start = 2007 | refereeyear4end = 2017 | refereeappearances4 = 20+ | refereecomp5 = | refereeyear5start = 2007 | refereeyear5end = 2018 | refereeappearances5 = 150+ | updated = 2018 | source = <ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/referees/Phil_Bentham.html Phil Bentham on the RL Project]</ref>}}
'''Phil Bentham''' (born 28 October 1971) is Head of Match Officials at the RFL and a former Premier League football VAR coach. Bentham was an English professional [[rugby league]] [[referee]] and [[television match official|video referee]]. He was one of the [[Rugby Football League]]'s [[Rugby Football League|full-time match officials]] since the role's inception in 2007. Bentham was referee in seven major finals and video referee in nine major finals.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.therfl.co.uk/more/referee/full_time_match_officials/phil_bentham |title=Phil Bentham |access-date=15 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130424191710/http://therfl.co.uk/more/referee/full_time_match_officials/phil_bentham |archive-date=24 April 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Background== Bentham was born in [[Leigh, Greater Manchester|Leigh]], [[Lancashire, England]].
==First games== Bentham refereed his first professional match between [[Sheffield Eagles]] and [[London Skolars]] on 22 February 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rfl.uk.com/about/page.php?id=190&areaid=54 |title=The Rugby Football League |publisher=Rfl.uk.com|accessdate=2010-05-14}}{{dead link|date=May 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> His first [[Super League]] match was [[Wakefield Trinity]] versus [[Hull F.C.]] on 11 September 2005. Prior to him being promoted to a full-time role in 2007, Bentham combined refereeing with employment at a bank and later, a [[Rugby Football League]] referee development officer.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Flanagan |first=Chris |date=18 November 2006 |title=REFEREEING: Expectation rises for full-time whistlers |url=https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/sport/1023989.refereeing-expectation-rises-for-full-time-whistlers/ |access-date=9 May 2026 |work=[[Warrington Guardian]]}}</ref>
==Major finals== Bentham was referee for both the [[2011 Super League Grand Final|2011]] and [[2014 Super League Grand Final|2014]] Super League grand finals. He was also the video referee in the [[2009 Super League Grand Final|2009]], [[2012 Super League Grand Final|2012]], [[2015 Super League Grand Final|2015]], and [[2017 Super League Grand Final|2017]] Super League grand finals.
He was the [[touch judge]] in the [[2005 Challenge Cup]] Final. He was the referee in the [[2011 Challenge Cup|2011]], [[2013 Challenge Cup|2013]], [[2014 Challenge Cup|2014]]. and [[2017 Challenge Cup|2017]] Challenge Cup finals. Bentham was the [[Video referee (rugby league)|video referee]] for the [[2007 Challenge Cup|2007]], [[2009 Challenge Cup|2009]], and [[2012 Challenge Cup|2012]] Challenge Cup finals.
He has also refereed in the [[2014 Rugby League Four Nations|2014 Four Nations]] final in [[Wellington, New Zealand]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/whereilive/4563678.WEMBLEY_COUNTDOWN__Steve_Ganson_to_referee_Challenge_Cup_Final/ |title=WEMBLEY COUNTDOWN: Steve Ganson to referee Challenge Cup Final (From Warrington Guardian) |publisher=Warringtonguardian.co.uk |date=2009-08-25 |accessdate=2010-05-14}}</ref>
==International== * Touch Judge - [[Great Britain National rugby league team|Great Britain]] versus [[Australia national rugby league team|Australia]], Wigan, Nov [[2003 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France|2003]] * Referee - [[Wales national rugby league team|Wales]] versus [[Scotland national rugby league team|Scotland]], [[2008 Rugby League World Cup qualifying|Rugby League World Cup qualifying]], 4 November 2007<ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/7074023.stm | work=BBC News | title=Scotland 16-18 Wales | date=4 November 2007}}</ref> * Video Referee - [[France national rugby league team|France]] versus [[England national rugby league team|England]], [[2009 Rugby League Four Nations|Four Nations]], 24 October 2009 * Video Referee - France versus [[New Zealand national rugby league team|New Zealand]], Four Nations, 31 October 2009 * Referee - [[Italy national rugby league team|Italy]] versus [[Serbia national rugby league team|Serbia]], [[2009 European Cup|European Cup]], 8 November 2009<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/european-cup-2009/playoff/italy-vs-serbia.html | title=European Cup 2009 | publisher=Rugby League Project | date=2009-11-08 | accessdate=2024-05-15}}</ref> * Referee - all matches at the [[2010 Atlantic Cup]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/bentham-to-ref-atlantic-cup |title=Bentham to ref Atlantic Cup | date=2010-10-04 | accessdate=2024-05-15 | publisher=Love Rugby League }}</ref> * Referee - Australia versus New Zealand Test, Newcastle, Australia, 16 October 2011 * Referee - Australia versus New Zealand, [[2011 Rugby League Four Nations|Four Nations]] 28 October 2011 * Referee - Wales v Australia, Four Nations, Nov 2011 * Referee - [[Fiji national rugby league team|Fiji]] versus [[Ireland national rugby league team|Ireland]], [[2013 Rugby League World Cup|Rugby League World Cup]], 28 October 2013 * Referee - New Zealand versus France, Rugby League World Cup, 1 November 2013 * Referee - Australia versus Ireland, Rugby League World Cup, 9 November 2013 * Video Referee - Australia versus [[United States national rugby league team|United States]], Rugby League World Cup quarter-final, 16 November 2013<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/28994 | title=Australia 62-0 United States of America | publisher=Rugby League Project | date=2013-11-16 | accessdate=2024-05-15}}</ref> * Video Referee - [[Samoa national rugby league team|Samoa]] versus Fiji, Rugby League World Cup quarter-final, 17 November 2013<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/28996 | title=Samoa 4-22 Fiji | publisher=Rugby League Project | date=2013-11-17 | accessdate=2024-05-15}}</ref> * Referee - Australia versus New Zealand, [[2014 Rugby League Four Nations|Four Nations]], 25 October 2014 * Referee - New Zealand versus England, [[2014 Rugby League Four Nations|Four Nations]], 8 November 2014 * Referee - New Zealand v Australia, [[2014 Rugby League Four Nations|Four Nations]] final, 15 November 2014 * Video Referee - England versus New Zealand [[2015 New Zealand rugby league tour of England|Test series]], 2015 * Referee - England versus France, [[2017 Rugby League World Cup|Rugby League World Cup]], November 2017 * Referee - Scotland versus [[Tonga national rugby league team|Tonga]], [[2017 Rugby League World Cup|Rugby League World Cup]], November 2017 * Referee - Australia v Samoa Rugby League World Cup quarter-final, 17 November 2017 * Video Referee - England versus New Zealand, [[2018 New Zealand rugby league tour of England|11 November 2018]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/england-vs-new-zealand/48713 | title=England 0-34 New Zealand | publisher=Sky Sports | date=2018-11-11 | accessdate=2024-05-15}}</ref>
==Injuries== On 4 May 2012, Bentham was refereeing the Super League clash between [[Wigan Warriors]] and [[Hull Kingston Rovers]] at the [[DW Stadium]] live on [[Sky Sports]], when he collided during an off-the-ball incident with Rovers' [[Shannon McDonnell (rugby league)|Shannon McDonnell]] after 17 minutes, and suffered a fractured [[tibia]]. He was given oxygen while being carried off on a stretcher whilst being applauded from the crowds and was taken to the [[Royal Albert Edward Infirmary]] in [[Wigan]]; touch judge [[Robert Hicks (referee)|Robert Hicks]] took over as referee, and Andrew Smith the reserve official took Hicks' place on the line. Wigan went on to win 36–22.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/17910290 | title=Wigan 36-22 Hull KR | work=BBC Sport }}</ref> Bentham returned to full on-field duties at the start of [[Super League XVIII|2013 Super League Season]].
On 16 May 2015, Bentham was refereeing [[Leeds Rhinos]] versus [[Huddersfield Giants]] at [[Headingley Rugby Stadium|Headingley Carnegie Stadium]] live on [[BBC]] when he did not return after the half time interval due to a hamstring injury. Touch Judge Jonathan Roberts replaced Bentham in the middle as he was the most senior referee having experience in the [[Championship (rugby league)|Championship]] and [[League 1 (rugby league)|League 1]] competitions. Reserve Official Phil Graham took Roberts' place on the line. Leeds went on to win 48–16.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/32712117|title=Challenge Cup: Leeds 48-16 Huddersfield|date=2015-05-16|work=BBC Sport|access-date=2018-05-02|language=en-GB}}</ref>
On 16 February 2018, Bentham was refereeing [[Widnes Vikings]] versus [[Warrington Wolves]] at the [[Halton Stadium]] live on [[Sky Sports]] when [[Chris Houston (rugby league)|Chris Houston]] collided with him causing him to hit the ground heavily, landing on his back and the 'ref cam' equipment. Bentham had to leave the field due to his injuries. Touch judge Scott Mikalauskas took over as referee, and Marcus Griffiths the Reserve Official took Mikalauskas' place on the line. Mikalauskas placed the collision between Bentham and Houston on report and Houston was subsequently banned for two matches. In the same fixture in 2017, also televised on [[Sky Sports]], Bentham was the referee and Houston knocked him over in that fixture but was found not guilty by an Independent Rules Tribunal. Bentham has not refereed since this incident and it is doubtful he will return to the field due to slipping a disc in his neck.
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [https://web.archive.org/web/20101128223221/http://therfl.co.uk/referee/full_time_referees/phil_bentham RFL profile] * [http://www.slstats.org/Referees/17/Phil+Bentham/Points_Games.html Phil Bentham profile] * [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/referees/Phil_Bentham.html Phil Bentham on RL Project]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bentham, Phil}} [[Category:1971 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:English rugby league referees]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Leigh, Greater Manchester]] [[Category:Rugby League World Cup referees]]