06/27/2026
GOLDEN WHISTLE ALERT 2026!
If the rugby landscape on the Texas Gulf Coast were to have a king, chances are it would be Robert Hays, and that king has a new golden whistle to go with his throne. Robert Hays is a Texas Rugby giant, in terms of his lasting impact he has provided to the Texas Rugby scene with the Corpus Christi Crabs. Teams have come and gone, but the club has weathered the storm and stayed strong since he helped establish the club in 1973.
After giving 37 years to the crabs, Robert decided to get his L1 certification in 2010 so he can give back as a ref to other teams and has been one of our most consistent refs. Due to a combination of proximity and availability, he has ref'd numerous matches from Houston, San Antonio, Austin, McAllen, and everything else in between. He's even done this while coaching for the Crabs as well as sometimes still lacing it up the boots as a player on occasion. In addition to the golden whistle, Robert has previously been honored also by the TRU as an inductee into their Hall of Fame, which I think we all agree was well deserved.
Robert joins an ever growing list of TRRA golden whistle recipente which includes James Wolfinger, Wendy Young, Butch Neuenschwander, Scott Green, Ozzie Bayazitolgu, Shawn Martin, Greg Varnell, & last year's recipient Richard Prim Congrats Robert on the legacy and impact you've provided to our state and too all the past, present, and future Crabs & Referees you've impacted as well.
Fun Fact: Robert Hays took his L1 course in 2010 in San Marcos, TX with Scott Green, & Butch Newshwander making it probably the single most influential L1 course we've arguably seen in Texas.