Rasta for the Final
The three referees immediately before Rasivhenge are Jaco Peyper, Jonathan Kaplan and Craig Joubert. In fact every referee since 1994 has officiated at the Rugby World Cup.
It is for any South African referee, the pinnacle of his career as the great competition stretches back to 1892.
The three supporting Rasivhenge are all Test referees – Stuart Berry, who is just back from the World Cup, Jason Jaftha and Marius Jonker.
Finals are not strange to Rasivhenge. In World Rugby's Sevens series he has referees 13 Finals. Hew was refereed the World Sevens Final and the third place for the Commonwealth Games. In South Africa he has refereed the Varsity Cup Final, the Under 21 Final and, twice, the Under-19 Final.
He is a particularly athletic referee which means he is always on the spot which makes his decisions more credible and he has a charming personality and good communication skills.
Fhatuwani Rasivhenge, known universally as Rasta, was born in Kempton Park on 3 January 1986. He was educated at Jeppe High School for Boys and Witwatersrand University. He then returned to Wits to teach matches before becoming a full-time referee. In 2008 he joined the Golden Lions Referees' Society, where he stayed till he had a break in Brisbane. Back in South Africa he is living in Durbanville and has become a member of the Western Province Referees' Society.
The first Western Province referee to referee a Final was Boy Louw of the Western Province Society and others of the Society to referee finals are Jonathan Kaplan, Freek Burger, Albie Henkes and Ralph Burmeister.
Final Referees
The three matches are all played at Ellis Park.
Under-19 A
Eastern Province vs Blue Bulls
Referee: Sindile Ngcese
Assistant referees: Stephan Geldenhuys, Oregopotse Rametsi
Television match official: Willie Vos
Under-21 A
Western Province vs Free State
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
Assistant referees: Stephan Geldenhuys, Sindile Ngcese Sindile
Television match official: Johan Greeff
Currie Cup
Golden Lions vs Western Province
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
Assistant referees: Stuart Berry, Jason Jaftha
Television match official: Marius Jonker
