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Sevens Referees 2016-17

Some of the top referees in the world have come to prominence through Sevens.

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This year is the start of a new four-year cycle, leading to the 2020 Olympic Games. There are several referees new to the Sevens Series but also there are the two who refereed finals at the Rio Olympics Rasta Rasivhenge (men) and Alhambra Nievas (women). They were sharers of Worlds Rugby's 2016 award for the Referee of the Year.

Those still there who were at the Olympic Games are Rasivhenge are Ben Crouse amongst the men and Alhambra Nievas, Aimee Barrett-Theron, Beatrice Benvenuti, Sara Cox, Sakurako Kawasaki, Rose La Brèche and Amy Perrett.

Of this year's men, Richard Kelly, Crouse and Rasivhenge were involved in the last series. The others are new.

There are 15 tournaments in 13 countries with 34 referees who hail from 15 countries. It's a big affair, wandering around the world with Paddy O'Brien to look after them. It's nice work if you can get it.

There are 10 tournaments for men, five for women. Of the 13 referees at women's tournaments, two are men (Ben Crouse and Adam Jones.

There are good ex-players amongst the referees. Alhambra Nievas played for Spain, Joy Neville captained Ireland. Aimee Barrett-Theron played for South Africa, Rebecca Mahoney, who manages a cattle farm in New Zealand, played for the Black Ferns, Sara Cox was close to England selection before she was injured and took to refereeing, and Hollie Davidson played for Scotland Under-20.

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Richard Haughton played Sevens for England, a shooting star of the field, playing on the wing for Saracens, Wasps and Perpignan. And it was in Perpignan that he first started refereeing before joining the Hertfordshire Referees' Society.

Haughton is not the only international Sevens player on the panel. Damon Murphy played Sevens for Australia for three seasons.

The Series with Referees

Men

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Dubai (2/3 December 2016): Richard Kelly (New Zealand), Jordan Way (Australia), Craig Evans (Wales), Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Damian Schneider (Argentina), James Doleman (New Zealand), Nori Hashimoto (Japan), Jaco Kotze (South Africa), Richard Haughton (England)

Cape Town (10/11 December 2016): Richard Kelly (New Zealand), Jordan Way (Australia), Craig Evans (Wales), Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Damian Schneider (Argentina), James Doleman (New Zealand), Nori Hashimoto (Japan), Jaco Kotze (South Africa), Richard Haughton (England)

Wellington (28/29 January 2017): Richard Kelly (New Zealand), Jordan Way (Australia), Tevita Rokovereni (Fiji), Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), James Doleman (New Zealand), Kaveni Talemaivavalagi (Fiji), Nori Hashimoto (Japan), Matt Rodden (Hong Kong), Damon Murphy (Australia)

Sydney (4/5 February 2017): Richard Kelly (New Zealand), Jordan Way (Australia), Tevita Rokovereni (Fiji), Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), James Doleman (New Zealand), Kaveni Talemaivavalagi (Fiji), Nori Hashimoto (Japan), Matt Rodden (Hong Kong), Damon Murphy (Australia)

Las Vegas (3-5 March 2017): Richard Kelly (New Zealand), Sam Grove-White (Scotland), Damon Murphy (Australia), Pierre Brousset (France), Paulo Duarte (Portugal), Mike O'Brien (USA), Adam Jones (Wales), Pablo De Luca (Argentina), Chris Assmus (Canada)

Vancouver (11/12 March 2017): Richard Kelly (New Zealand), Sam Grove-White (Scotland), Ben Crouse (South Africa), Pierre Brousset (France), Paulo Duarte (Portugal), Mike O'Brien (USA), Adam Jones (Wales), Pablo Deluca (Argentina), Chris Assmus (Canada)

Hong Kong (7-9 April 2017): Richard Kelly (New Zealand), Jordan Way (Australia), Sam Grove-White (Scotland), Craig Evans (Wales), Ben Crouse (South Africa), Damian Schneider (Argentina), Tevita Rokovereni (Fiji), Paulo Duarte (Portugal), Matt Rodden (Hong Kong), Chris Assmus (Canada)

Singapore (15/16 April 2017): Richard Kelly (New Zealand), Jordan Way (Australia), Sam Grove-White (Scotland), Craig Evans (Wales), Ben Crouse (South Africa), Damian Schneider (Argentina), Tevita Rokovereni (Fiji), Paulo Duarte (Portugal), Matt Rodden (Hong Kong)

Paris (13/14 May 2017): Sam Grove-White (Scotland), Craig Evans (Wales), Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Ben Crouse (South Africa), Damian Schneider (Argentina), James Doleman (New Zealand), Pierre Brousset (France), Jaco Kotze (South Africa), Richard Haughton (England)

London (20/21 May 2017): Sam Grove-White (Scotland), Craig Evans (Wales), Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Ben Crouse (South Africa), Damian Schneider (Argentina), James Doleman (New Zealand), Pierre Brousset (France), Jaco Kotze (South Africa), Richard Haughton (England)

Women

Dubai (1/2 December: Alhambra Nievas (Spain), Amy Perrett (Australia), Sara Cox (England), Sakurako Kawasaki (Japan), Beatrice Benvenuti (Italy), Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa), Ben Crouse (South Africa), Adam Jones (Wales)

Sydney (3/4 February: Alhambra Nievas (Spain), Amy Perrett (Australia), Sara Cox (England), Sakurako Kawasaki (Japan), Beatrice Benvenuti (Italy), Rose La Brèche (Canada), Rebecca Mahoney (New Zealand), Ben Crouse (South Africa)

Kitakyusyu Japan (23/23 April: Alhambra Nievas (Spain), Amy Perrett (Australia), Sakurako Kawasaki (Japan), Beatrice Benvenuti (Italy), Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa), Rebecca Mahoney (New Zealand), Ben Crouse (South Africa), Adam Jones (Wales)

Langford Canada (27/28 May: Alhambra Nievas (Spain), Amy Perrett (Australia), Sara Cox (England), Sakurako Kawasaki (Japan), Rose La Brèche (Canada), Joy Neville (Ireland), Hollie Davidson (Scotland), Adam Jones (Wales)

Clermont-Ferrand France (24/25 June: Alhambra Nievas (Spain), Sara Cox (England), Sakurako Kawasaki (Japan), Beatrice Benvenuti (Italy), Joy Neville (Ireland), Hollie Davidson (Scotland), Ben Crouse (South Africa), Adam Jones (Wales)

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