Jamie Bloem

{{Short description|Former Scotland & South Africa international rugby league footballer and referee}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Jamie Bloem

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| fullname = Jamie Bloem

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|5|26|df=y}}

| birth_place = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia{{fact|date=March 2024}}

| height =

| weight =

| school =

| education = University of Cape Town

| relatives =

| occupation = Landscaper

| module = {{infobox rugby biography | embed = yes

| position = Utility back

| youthyears1 = 1990-1991

| youthclubs1 = Western Province

| years1 = 1990-1992 | clubs1 = Union Milnerton RFC

| apps2 = | points2 =

| years3 = 1999 | clubs3 = Racing 92

| apps3 = | points3 =

| years4 = 2002-2004 | clubs4 = Halifax RUFC

| apps4 = 36 | points4 = 90

| years5 = 2005-2006 | clubs5 = Thornensians RUFC

| apps5 = | points5 =

| years6 = 2006-2007 | clubs6 = Old Brodleians RUFC

| apps6 = | points6 =

| years7 = 2007-2011 | clubs7 = Old Rishworthians RUFC

| apps7 = | points7 =

| years8 = 2013-2018 | clubs8 = Halifax Vandals RUFC

| apps8 = | points8 =

| years9 = 2023 | clubs9 = Heath Hawks

| apps9 = | points9 =

| clubupdate = 24 February 2024

| coachyears1 = 2005-2006 | coachteams1 = Thornensians RUFC (player-coach)

| coachyears6 = 2006-2007 | coachteams6 = Old Brodleians RUFC (player-coach)

| coachyears7 = 2007-2011 | coachteams7 = Old Rishworthians RUFC (player-coach)

| coachyears8 = 2011-2013 | coachteams8 = Stainland Stags ARLFC (player-coach)

| coachyears9 = 2013-2018 | coachteams9 = Halifax Vandals RUFC (player-coach)

| coachyears10 = 2019-2020 | coachteams10 = Huddersfield YM RUFC (Head coach)

| coachyears11 = 2019-2022 | coachteams11 = Greetland All-rounders ARLFC (Head coach)

| coachyears12 = 2022-2023 | coachteams12 = Halifax RUFC (Head coach)

| coachyears13 = 2023- | coachteams13 = Elland RLFC (Head coach)

| ru_coachupdate = 24 February 2024

| refereeyears1 = 2010

| refereecomps1 = Nordic Cup

| refereeapps1 = 1

| refereeyears2 = 2013-2016

| refereecomps2 = Challenge Cup

| refereeapps2 = 5

| ru_refereeupdate = 24 February 2024

}}

| module2 = {{infobox rugby league biography | embed = yes

| position = {{rlp|HB|SR|CE|FB}}

| year1start = 1990

| club1 = Cape Town Coasters

| appearances1 = | points1 =

| year2start = 1992

| club2 = Castleford Tigers

| appearances2 = 1 | points2 = 4

| year3start = 1993

| club3 = Oldham RLFC

| appearances3 = 12 | points3 = 8

| year4start = 1993 | year4end = 1994

| club4 = Doncaster

| appearances4 = 44 | points4 = 76

| year5start = 1997 | year5end = 1998

| club5 = Widness Vikings

| appearances5 = 39 | points5 = 171

| year6start = 1998 | year6end = 2002

| club6 = Halifax Panthers

| appearances6 = 108 | points6 = 336

| year7start = 2003

| club7 = Huddersfield Giants

| appearances7 = 22 | points7 = 34

| year8start = 2004 | year8end = 2005

| club8 = Halifax Panthers

| appearances8 = 51 | points8 = 359

| year9start = 2011 | year9end = 2013

| club9 = Stainland Stags ARLFC

| appearances9 = | points9 =

| yearAstart = 1992 | yearAend = 2000

| teamA = South Africa

| appearancesA = 14 | pointsA = 31

| yearBstart = 2004

| teamB = Scotland

| appearancesB = 2 | pointsB = 4

}}

Jamie Bloem (born 26 May 1971) is a former dual code rugby player and rugby league referee. He currently coaches amateur rugby league side Elland ARLFC. He played representative rugby league for South Africa and Scotland. At club level for Cape Town Coasters (South Africa), Castleford Tigers,David Smart & Andrew Howard (1 July 2000) "Images of Sport – Castleford Rugby League – A Twentieth Century History". The History Press Ltd. {{ISBN|978-0752418957}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thecastlefordtigers.co.uk/alltime.php|title=Castleford RLFC A to Z Player List (All Time)|date=31 December 2014|accessdate=1 January 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216084010/http://www.thecastlefordtigers.co.uk/alltime.php|archivedate=16 February 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thecastlefordtigers.co.uk/playerprofile.php?pid=265|title=Statistics at thecastlefordtigers.co.uk|date=31 December 2014|accessdate=1 January 2015|url-status=unfit|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216084416/http://www.thecastlefordtigers.co.uk/playerprofile.php?pid=265|archivedate=16 February 2012}} Oldham, Doncaster,{{cite web|url=http://robterrace.com/dons/player.php?PID=670|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224232639/http://robterrace.com/dons/player.php?PID=670|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 February 2018|title=Statistics at robterrace.com|publisher=robterrace.com|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}} Widnes Vikings,{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-league-widnes-sign-south-african-jamie-bloem-1349741.html|title=Rugby League: Widnes sign South African Jamie Bloem|work=The Independent|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}}Halifax Panthers, Huddersfield Giants and player-coach for Stainland Stags ARLFC, as a {{rlp|fb|wg|ce|sh|sr}}, or {{rlp|lf}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/jamie-bloem/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=Rugby League Project|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}}{{cite book|last1=Hardcastle|first1=Andrew|title=In Full Bloem: Jamie Bloem – Rugby Footballer|date=2012|publisher=London League Publications|isbn=978-1903659656}}

In rugby union he played for Western Province at representative level, and at club level for Union Milnerton RFC (Cape Town), Racing Métro 92, Halifax RUFC and player-coach for Thornensians RUFC, Old Brodleians RUFC, Old Rishworthians RUFC, and Halifax Vandals RUFC.{{cite web|url=http://official.sportnetwork.net/main/s347/st61143.htm|title=official.sportnetwork.net|publisher=official.sportnetwork.net|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/rugby-league/south-africa-shown-up-by-tonga-636078.html|title=South Africa Shown Up By Tonga|work=The Independent|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}}

Rugby league

=Club career=

Bloem initially played his club rugby league for the Cape Town Coasters in South Africa,{{cite web|url=http://sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/reports2003/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/03/08/29/RUGBYL_Castleford_Nightlead.html&TEAMHD=castleford&HEADER=&YEAR=2003|title=Reports 2003 at sportinglife.com|work=Sporting Life|location=UK|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018|archive-date=16 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716023116/https://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/reports2003/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague%2F03%2F08%2F29%2FRUGBYL_Castleford_Nightlead.html&TEAMHD=castleford&HEADER=&YEAR=2003|url-status=dead}} he also played in France and has travelled extensively as a player, he became player-coach at Stainland Stags ARLFC (Halifax, West Yorkshire) 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.{{cite book|last1=Mottram|first1=David R.|title=Drugs in sport|date=1996|publisher=E. & F.N. Spon|isbn=0-419-18890-8}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-league--league-to-step-up-drug-testing-1569714.html|title=Rugby League – League To Step Up Drug Testing|work=The Independent|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}}

=Representative career=

Bloem was the captain of South Africa (RL) during the 2000 World Cup,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/world_cup_2000/group_2/978377.stm|title=World Cup 2000 – Group 2|publisher=BBC|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}} he was eligible for Scotland (RL) through his mother's nationality.

Rugby union

Bloem has also had spells with rugby union sides; Halifax RUFC, Thornensians RUFC (Thorne, Doncaster), and Old Brodleians RUFC (Hipperholme, Halifax, West Yorkshire), whom he took to their first promotion in 75 years, he transferred to Old Rishworthians RUFC (Rishworth, Halifax, West Yorkshire) 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,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/solpda/ifs_sport/hi/newsid_8027000/8027754.stm|title=BBC radio rugby league sports summariser|publisher=BBC|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}}{{Dead link|date=February 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and a rugby league referee and controlled the Nordic Cup match between Norway and Sweden at Partille Ground (Spartacus Rugby Club), Gothenburg on Saturday 30 October 2010.{{cite web|url=http://rleague.com/db/article.php?id=37969|title=Bloem looks forward to officiating Nordic Cup at rleague.com|publisher=rleague.com|date=28 October 2010|accessdate=1 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101115183922/http://www.rleague.com/db/article.php?id=37969|archive-date=15 November 2010|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.rlef.eu.com/news.php?id=1493|title=Bloem looks forward to officiating Nordic Cup at rlef.eu.com|publisher=rlef.eu.com|date=28 October 2010|accessdate=1 January 2011|archive-date=6 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206002620/http://www.rlef.eu.com/news.php?id=1493|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/referees/jamie-bloem.html|title=Referee Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=Rugby League Project|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}}

Personal life

Bloem was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia to Scottish and South African parents, his twin sister died at the age of six weeks. He was brought up in apartheid-torn South Africa on a military base where his father was stationed. Bloems father died in action when he was 15.

After retiring from rugby Bloem set up a landscape gardening business in Halifax, West Yorkshire.{{cite web|url=http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/12/03/13/RUGBYL_Column.html&BID=480|title=Bloem Close To Crossing Divide|work=Sporting Life|location=UK|date=31 December 2011|accessdate=1 January 2012}}{{Dead link|date=September 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Bloem was wrongly accused of having sex with a minor, the charge was found to be completely without foundation.{{cite web|url=https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/crime/former-halifax-rugby-league-star-jamie-bloem-speaks-of-hell-after-being-accused-of-child-sex-offence-1-5053146|title=Former Halifax Rugby League star Jamie Bloem speaks of hell after being accused of child sex offence|publisher=halifaxcourier.co.uk|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018|archive-date=6 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206131458/https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/crime/former-halifax-rugby-league-star-jamie-bloem-speaks-of-hell-after-being-accused-of-child-sex-offence-1-5053146|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/lifestyle/nostalgia/hard-hitting-bloem-paid-a-heavy-price-for-playing-the-game-he-loved-1-5501568|title=Hard-hitting Bloem paid a heavy price for playing the game he loved|publisher=halifaxcourier.co.uk|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018|archive-date=6 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206131611/https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/lifestyle/nostalgia/hard-hitting-bloem-paid-a-heavy-price-for-playing-the-game-he-loved-1-5501568|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/innocent-former-huddersfield-giants-star-4941682|title=Innocent former Huddersfield Giants star Jamie Bloem speaks about the nightmare allegation of child sex offence|publisher=examiner.co.uk|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}}