Emirates Match Officials For HSBC SVNS 2024-2025 & World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025

World Rugby confirmed the 35 Emirates Match Officials who make up the men’s and women’s panels for HSBC SVNS 2024-2025 and the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025. 

World Rugby High-Performance Sevens Referee Manager Paddy O’Brien said: “I am delighted with the mixture of experience and up-and-coming talented referees selected. These are the first squads selected which not only service the series events but starts the four-year cycle towards having experienced referees available for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.”

HSBC SVNS 2025 will feature the best 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams in the world competing in seven destinations played across seven months. World Rugby says the details of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025 schedule will be confirmed soon.

SVNS 2024-2025 Match Officials

In total, 12 unions are represented among the 17 officials named on the SVNS 2025 panels with just over half returning from the 2024 group to join the newcomers to the High Performance Sevens Referee squads said World Rugby.

• Eight of the officials were involved in the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
• For the first time in history, there is an all-female panel for the women’s SVNS 2025.
• Sunny Lee (HKCR) makes her debut in the Women’s HSBC SVNS Series and is the only match official from Asia selected.
• Tiana Anderson (New Zealand), Ella Goldsmith (Australia), Zoe Naude (South Africa) and Chloe Sampson (New Zealand) will also debut on SVNS 2025.
• Ben Connor (Wales), Peter Martin (Ireland) and Evan Urruzmendi (France) were named to their first SVNS panel.

In October 2024, Hong Kong China Rugby (HKCR) confirmed that they will have three match officials participating in World Rugby Sevens events in the upcoming season.

Women’s Match Official Panel 2024-2025 HSBC SVNS

There are eight officials named on the men’s panel and nine on the women’s:

• Tiana Anderson (NZR)
• Ella Goldsmith (RA)
• Maria Latos (RD)
• Lee Chui Yan Sunny (HKCR)
• Jess Ling (RA)
• Zoe Naude (SARU)
• Lavenia Racaca (FRU)
• Kat Roche (USAR)
• Chloe Sampson (NZR)

Sunny Lee (HKCR)

Men’s Match Official Panel 2024-2025 HSBC SVNS

• Ben Connor (WRU)
• Francisco González (URU)
• Nick Hogan (NZR)
• AJ Jacobs (SARU)
• Peter Martin (IRFU)
• Tevita Rokovereni (FRU)
• George Selwood (RFU)
• Evan Urruzmendi (FFR)

World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025 Match Officials

Nine of the 18 officials on the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025 panels are selected for the first time.

From Asia, Craig Chan (Hong Kong China) who refereed on the women’s SVNS series last season (17 SVNS tournaments in total) and was at the Paris 2024 Olympics is included, as well as Morgan White from Hong Kong China (Men’s Panel) and Hibiki Ikeda from the Japan Rugby Football Union (Women’s Panel).

• Ruairidh Campbell (Scotland), Julien Caulier (France), Franco Rosella (Italy) and Luis Fernández (Spain) make their Challenger debuts on the men’s panel.
• Maria Clotilde Benvenuti (Italy), Doriane Constanty (France), Alexandra Ferré (France), Emma Gallagher (Canada) and Hibiki Ikeda (Japan) are the debutants on the women’s panel.

Women’s Match Official Panel World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025

• Maria Clotilde Benvenuti (FIR)
• Doriane Constanty (FFR)
• Alexandra Ferré (FFR)
• Emma Gallagher (RC)
• Hibiki Ikeda (JRFU)
• Nerea Livoni (UAR)
• Kristine Lovatt (RC)
• Giana Viljoen (SARU)
• Holly Wood (RFU)

Hibiki Ikeda (JRFU)

Men’s Match Official Panel World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025

• Ruairidh Campbell (SRU)
• Julien Caulier (FFR)
• Craig Chan (HKCR)
• Sulkhani Chikhladze (GRU)
• Griffin Colby (SARU)
• Gonzalo de Achaval (UAR)
• Franco Rosella (FIR)
• Luis Fernández (FER)
• Morgan White (HKCR)

Read More About Sevens Rugby News 2024

• HSBC SVNS 2025 Final Schedule Confirmed.
• Fans Guide To HSBC SVNS Series 2024-2025.
• Kai Tak Stadium Confirmed As Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2025 Venue.
• Hong Kong China Rugby Confirm Appointments of 3 Match Officials For 2024-2025 HSBC SVNS & Challenger Series.