Commonwealth Games 2022 Rugby Sevens Referee's Confirmed - Ruck

Commonwealth Games 2022 Rugby Sevens Referee’s Confirmed

Thanks to our partners at ACME Whistles we are now able to announce the officials lining up to take charge of the 2022 Commonwealth Games Sevens tournament this week. 

Amongst the line-up are refs from eight countries representing both northern and southern hemisphere rugby powerhouses. 

From the home nations, and overseeing the women’s tournament are Katherine Ritchie (Eng) and Hollie Davidson (Sco).

Katherine – a 24-year-old ref from Hertfordshire, started as a player at university, jumping at the chance to join a refereeing course run by the RAF when she was an Officer Cadet.  

On the RFU website she says; “I thought it would be a great opportunity to improve my playing by understanding what the rules actually were.  

“One of my coaches at the time was also refereeing in Yorkshire, so I asked him if I could come along and give it a go. 

“By the time I’d finished my first full season with Hertfordshire I’d discovered I made a much better referee than a player and was sold from there.” 

Hollie is a professional referee with the Scottish RFU. She made history earlier this year by leading out an all-female team of match officials for a men’s international when Portugal played Italy on June 25th 2022. 

During the match she was supported by Sara Cox (England) and Aurélie Groizeleau (France) as her assistant referees and Claire Hodnett (England) as the Television Match Official (TMO) for the match at Lisbon’s Estádio do Restelo. 

About the appointment she told the Guardian newspaper that: “To be the first woman to referee a men’s Six Nations team is a tremendous honour and an achievement I am proud of. 

“I couldn’t believe it when I heard the news as I didn’t think something like this would have happened so quickly in my career, but I’m really proud and looking forward to the summer.” 

The referee’s overseeing the women’s tournament also includes world class refs from South Africa with Ashleigh Murray-Pretorius; New Zealand through Selicia Winiata and Lauren Jenner; and Australia with Tyler Miller. 

For the men’s games, Ben Breakspere (Wal) Adam Leal (Eng) and Finlay Brown (Sco) are set to represent the Great British match officials.  

Ben has had a busy year behind the whistle having refereed in the Men’s Rugby Europe Championship on the July 1-3 in Krakov and the Men’s RWC play-off competition on the 16th-18th June. After the Commonwealth Games, he’s heading out to referee in the Women’s World Cup in September. 

A regular face on the Gallager Premiership circuit, professional referee Adam Leal is set to make his mark on the Commonwealth Games as the second appointed home nations ref. 

And to complete the local officials, Scotland’s Finley Brown will also be behind the whistle at the games.  

Finlay has refereed in the Scottish Premiership winning referee of the season for the 2017–18 season.  

He’s also refereed in the English National League 1; has been an assistant referee for European Challenge Cup matches; an assistant referee for European Champions Cup matches; an assistant referee in the Pro14; and refereed in a second round match of the Super 6. 

Internationally, Brown refereed the 2017–18 Rugby Europe Trophy Czech Republic v Moldova; has refereed in the Rugby Europe Grand Prix Series for the Sevens; and refereed the Germany v Portugal sevens match.  

Completing the roundup of referees from the southern hemisphere is New Zealand’s Nick Hogan, Moe Chaudry from Canada, Jordan Way from Australia, Tevita Rokovereni from Fiji, and Morne Fereirra from South Africa. 

To find out more about Acme whistles visit www.acmewhistles.com