| Birth name | David Thomas Michael McHugh [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 21 December 1955 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Limerick, Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | St Munchin's College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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David McHugh is an Irish former rugby union referee. McHugh refereed matches at the 1995, 1999 and 2003 Rugby World Cups. In 1996 McHugh refereed the inaugural Heineken Cup final. He would also referee the 2001 final, making him the first referee to take charge of two European Rugby Champions Cup finals. He also refereed in the Celtic League, the Six Nations Championship and the Tri Nations. In 2002, while refereeing a Tri Nations match between South Africa and New Zealand, McHugh was assaulted by a South African fan. After retiring as a referee in 2004, McHugh worked as a referee performance officer and then manager for the Irish Rugby Football Union.