Refs for Junior World Trophy
The International Rugby Board has announced the names of the 12 referees to officiate at the Junior World Rugby Trophy to be held in Moscow on 18-30 May 2010.
The teams for this Under-20 tournament, the second tier after the Junior World Cup, come from are from eight countries – Cayman Islands, Chile, Kenya, Korea, Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Romania and the USA.
The 12 referees come from 11 countries, including two from Russia and one from Poland, the first referee from Poland to be selected in an IRB panel.
The 12 referees are Mauro Rivera (Argentina), Bryan Arciero (Canada), Napolioni Locoloco (Fiji), Gia Amirkhanashvili (Georgia), Marius Mitrea (Italy), Akihisa Aso (Japan), Andrew Karani (Kenya), Marcin Zeszutek (Poland), João Mourinha (Portugal), Igor Nikolaichuk (Russia), Vladimir Volovik (Russia) and Aruna Ranaweera (USA).
Of the 12, Zeszutek, Mourinha and Vladimir Volovik have Test experience in FIRA-AER’s senior competitions, Locoloco and Aso have experience of the IRB Sevens circuit. Aso and Arciero have been assistant referees at Test matches.
IRB Referee Manager Paddy O’Brien said: “The IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy provides a key development platform for participating Unions and for match officials and the group of referees and assistant referees selected for the tournament in Russia will benefit from exposure to a best-practice environment that will further their development along the pathway to international officiating.
“From an officiating perspective, the aim of the 2010 tournament is to identify and develop talent that has the potential to take the next step up the international ladder. This group of match officials will benefit from working in an environment that through education, training and assessment hones skills and promotes excellence which will assist their future refereeing careers.”
“The IRB and its Member Unions invest considerable resources in developing the next generation of international match officials with tournaments including the IRB Junior World Championship and IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy essential in the development pathway of many senior officials.”
