{"id":291500,"date":"2023-09-17T13:34:02","date_gmt":"2023-09-17T13:34:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usasportsradar.com\/?p=291500"},"modified":"2023-09-17T13:34:02","modified_gmt":"2023-09-17T13:34:02","slug":"england-vs-japan-referee-who-is-rugby-world-cup-official-nika-amashukeli","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usasportsradar.com\/rugby-union\/england-vs-japan-referee-who-is-rugby-world-cup-official-nika-amashukeli\/","title":{"rendered":"England vs Japan referee: Who is Rugby World Cup official Nika Amashukeli?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletter\/sport\/sport-135x135.png\" width=\"134\" height=\"134\" layout=\"responsive\"><\/p>\n<h3>Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing<\/h3>\n<h3>Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news<\/h3>\n<h2>Thanks for signing up to the<br \/> Sport email<\/h2>\n<p>Georgia\u2019s Nika Amashukeli will make history as one of the officials at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.<\/p>\n<p>The 28-year-old makes his tournament debut and is the first referee from Georgia to officiate at the event.<\/p>\n<p>He is the youngest whistler since Wayne Barnes in 2007 to be appointed to a men\u2019s World Cup panel.<\/p>\n<p>Amashukeli represented Georgia at junior level as a centre, but was forced to retire at the age of 20 after a series of concussions and other injuries.<\/p>\n<p>He was recruited as a referee as part of a new programme to improve officiating standards in the country, developed in partnership with the Irish Rugby Football Union.<\/p>\n<h3>Recommended<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/08\/09\/17\/GettyImages-1230121936.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/06\/15\/2023-09-04T090926Z_12386583_UP1EJ940PFO14_RTRMADP_3_RUGBY-UNION-WORLDCUP-OPENING-CONFERENCE.JPG\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/11\/11\/newFile-4.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>As part of that relationship, Amashukeli has been mentored by Irish official David McHugh, who refereed games at the 1995, 1999 and 2003 World Cups.<\/p>\n<p>In July 2021, Amashukeli officiated Wales\u2019 win over Canada, his first international appointment involving a Tier One nation.<\/p>\n<p>A Six Nations debut followed seven months later, and Amashukeli has since forged a reputation as a referee of high potential.<\/p>\n<p>He will take charge of three games at this year\u2019s tournament.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Which games is Nika Amashukeli refereeing at the 2023 Rugby World Cup?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ireland v Romania \u2013 Pool B (9 September, Bordeaux)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)<\/p>\n<p>ARs: Wayne Barnes (Eng) &#038; Andrea Piardi (Ita)<\/p>\n<p>TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZ)<\/p>\n<p><strong>England v Japan \u2013 Pool D (17 September, Nice)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)<\/p>\n<p>ARs: Nic Berry (Aus) &#038; Andrea Piardi (Ita)<\/p>\n<p>TMO: Joy Neville (Ire)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Australia v Portugal \u2013 Pool C (1 October, Saint-Etienne)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)<\/p>\n<h3>Recommended<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/17\/12\/86wtSHZg-720.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/17\/09\/9381420ef1bbb9e8a1da1bfbbfdd45deY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjk1MDI1NzM5-2.73753170.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/17\/09\/88e4e049bf6ffb2bbfdf8e91e209ce06Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjk1MDI0NTUw-2.73755460.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>ARs: Mathieu Raynal (Fra) &#038; Andrea Piardi (Ita)<\/p>\n<p>TMO: Joy Neville (Ire)<\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/sport\/rugby\/rugby-union\/rugby-world-cup-referee-nika-amashukeli-b2410590.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":291499,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>England vs Japan referee: Who is Rugby World Cup official Nika Amashukeli? 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