Rokovereni To Ref At World Cup Sevens

Fiji’s referee Tevita Rokovereni is among the match officials (for the men’s competition) at this weekend’s Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022, in Cape Town, South Africa.

World Rugby selected 18 match officials representing 13 countries have been select­ed for the showpiece event, 10 for the men’s competition at Cape Town Stadium and eight for the women’s.

France’s Jérémy Rozier and Scotland’s Hollie Davidson are the only officials to have refereed at a previous Rugby World Cup Sev­ens, having been involved at the 2018 edition in San Francisco.

However, Selica Winiata has played on the RWC Sevens stage for New Zealand, collect­ing a silver medal from the inaugural wom­en’s tournament in Dubai in 2009 and a gold four years later in Moscow.

Eight of the match officials were on the panels for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Jordan Way, Rokovereni, Francisco González, Davidson, Lauren Jenner, Tyler Miller, Winiata and Julianne Zussman.

Ben Breakspear and Cisco Lopez are mem­bers of the men’s panel for the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series but have been selected for the women’s competition in South Af­rica.

World Rugby chairman, Sir Bill Beaumont said: “I would like to congratulate the panel on their selection for Rugby World Cup Sev­ens 2022 in Cape Town.

“The fact that 13 nations are represented speaks volumes about the global appeal of the sport.

“Cape Town promises to be an exceptional spectacle, a showcase of rugby sevens at its best and a celebration of friendship and to­getherness following the pandemic,” he told World Rugby.

World Rugby High Performance Sevens Referee manager Paddy O’Brien added: “Just like a player, a referee strives to be se­lected for the big events and the 18 selected for RWC Sevens 2022 are no exception.

“Apart from the Olympics, RWC Sevens is the biggest sevens tournament and this group of referees are excited and fully pre­pared for the showpiece event of our sport.”

Men’s panel

Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy), Adam Leal (England), Jérémy Rozier (France), Morné Ferreira (South Africa), Reuben Keane (Australia), Jordan Way (Australia), Nick Hogan (New Zealand), AJ Jacobs (South Africa), Tevita Rokovereni (Fiji), Francisco González (Uruguay)

Women’s panel

Ben Breakspear (Wales), Hollie Davidson (Scotland), Eki Fanlo (Spain), Lauren Jen­ner (New Zealand), Cisco Lopez (USA), Ty­ler Miller (Australia), Selica Winiata (New Zealand), Julianne Zussman (Canada)

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