Refs for IRB Sevens
The IRB has announced a strong panel of elite Sevens match officials for the upcoming HSBC Sevens World Series, which kicks off on Australia's Gold Coast on October 12-13.
In total, 12 Member Unions are represented among the 17 referees appointed to the nine-round series, with two – South Africa’s Rasta Rasivhenge and Rhys Thomas of Wales – set to officiate at all nine tournaments.
Thomas and Rasivhenge are seasoned campaigners, while other referees familiar to the series are Federico Anselmi (Argentina), James Bolabiu (Fiji), Nick Briant (New Zealand), James Matthew (Scotland), James McPhail (now Netherlands), Anthony Moyes (Australia), Matt O'Brien (Australia), Luke Pearce (England), Alexandre Ruiz (France), Ian Tempest (England) and Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa).
There are also newcomers in Richard Kelly (New Zealand) and Ben Crouse (South Africa), while for the first time an IRB Sevens Referee Development Panel of 15 has also been selected.
Two of that development squad – Michael Kelly (USA) and Taku Otsuki (Japan) – have been appointed to referee at the USA and Japan rounds respectively and the full development panel is): Keveni Talemaivalagi (Fiji), Kevin White (Scotland), Tui Komiti (Samoa), Kelekolio Petelo (Samoa), Andrea Spadoni (Italy), Taku Otsuki (Japan), Maxime Chalon (France), Tual Trainini (France), Michael Kelly (USA), Graham Cooper (Australia), Chris Assmus (Canada), Henrique Platais (Brazil), Vlad Iordachescu (Romania), Iñigo Atorrasagasti (Spain) and Kevin Sulejmani (Belgium).
These collective appointments are the first to have been made by the newly-convened IRB Sevens Selection Panel comprising IRB Council Member for Scotland John Jeffrey, Vinny Munro (New Zealand), Paddy McNally (USA) and IRB Sevens referee manager, Paddy O'Brien.
O'Brien said): "This is an exciting time for those referees selected for the series. Rugby Sevens is growing rapidly right around the world as we all prepare for its inclusion in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, and with that growth will come plenty of opportunities for players, coaches and, of course, match officials to perform at a high level. These selections have been made with one eye on Rio."
Rugby Sevens continues to grow at pace with more nations taking up the sport following Olympic inclusion. The IRB and its Member Unions are committed to ensuring excellence across all match officials and enabling referees to perform under increasing scrutiny and physical pressure.
The IRB's Sevens series starts at Australia's Gold Coast in October 2013 and ends in London in May 2014.
The Appointments
Gold Coast (12-13 October): Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Rhys Thomas (Wales), Ian Tempest (England), Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa), Matt O'Brien (Australia), James Matthew (Scotland), Nick Briant (New Zealand), Anthony Moyes (Australia), James Bolabiu (Fiji))
Dubai (29-30 November): Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Rhys Thomas (Wales), Ian Tempest (England), Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa), Matt O'Brien (Australia), James Matthew (Scotland), Nick Briant (New Zealand),, Alexandre Ruiz (France), Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
Port Elizabeth (7-8 December): Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Rhys Thomas (Wales), Ian Tempest (England), Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa), Matt O'Brien (Australia), James Matthew (Scotland), Nick Briant (New Zealand),, Alexandre Ruiz (France), Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
Las Vegas (24-26 January 2014): Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Rhys Thomas (Wales), Ian Tempest (England), Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa), Matt O'Brien (Australia), James McPhail (New Zealand), Nick Briant (New Zealand), Anthony Moyes (Australia), Michael Kelly (USA)
Wellington (New Zealand) (7-8 February): Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Rhys Thomas (Wales), Ian Tempest (England), Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa), Matt O'Brien (Australia), James McPhail (New Zealand), Nick Briant (New Zealand), Anthony Moyes (Australia), Richard Kelly (New Zealand)
Tokyo (22-23 March): Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Rhys Thomas (Wales), Anthony Moyes (Australia), Alexandre Ruiz (France), ,Richard Kelly (New Zealand), James Bolabiu (Fiji)), Federico Anselmi (Argentina), Ben Crouse (South Africa), Taku Otsuki (Japan)
Hong Kong (28-30 March): Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Rhys Thomas (Wales), Anthony Moyes (Australia), Alexandre Ruiz (France), ,Richard Kelly (New Zealand), James Bolabiu (Fiji)), Federico Anselmi (Argentina), Ben Crouse (South Africa), Taku Otsuki (Japan)
Glasgow (3-4 May): Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Rhys Thomas (Wales), Ian Tempest (England), Alexandre Ruiz (France), Luke Pearce (England), James Matthew (Scotland), Richard Kelly (New Zealand), James McPhail (New Zealand), Ben Crouse (South Africa)
London (10-11 May): Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Rhys Thomas (Wales), Ian Tempest (England), Alexandre Ruiz (France), Luke Pearce (England), James Matthew (Scotland), Richard Kelly (New Zealand), James McPhail (New Zealand), Ben Crouse (South Africa)
