Four Foreign Refs in Japan

AJ in Japan

AJ Jacobs of Welkom is one of the four foreign (non-Japanese) referees taking part in the Sanix World Rugby Youth Invitational Tournament in Fukuoka, Japan.

Participating in the tournament is by invitation. It started in 2000 and now has 16 teams, eight Japanese and eight foreign.

Four of the referees are foreign – Adrian Jacobs  of South Africa, Jack Makepeace of England, Cameron Stoner of New Zealand and Jordan Way of Australia.

Makepeace has refereed in England's premiership, Stone in New Zealand's provincial competition and Way in the  Australian National Rugby Championship, which was started last year.

Jacobs had a particularly good Craven Week in Stellenbosch last year and has made steady progress till he is now on South Africa's National Panel which means he is one of the top 28 referees in South Africa and has refereed  to the level of the Currie Cup Premier Division.

Jacobs, Makepeace and Way have refereed age-group internationals.