Rasta Rasivhenge Explained

Rasta Rasivhenge
Birth Name:Fhatuwani Rasivhenge
Birth Date:3 January 1986
Birth Place:Johannesburg, South Africa
Weight:68kg (150lb)
Occupation:Referee
School:Bishop Bavin Primary
Jeppe High School for Boys
University:University of the Witwatersrand
UNISA
Spouse:Single
Ru Currentposition:Referee
Refereeyears1:2010–2014
Refereeyears2:2011–2013
Refereeyears3:2011–2014
Refereeyears4:2011–present
Refereeyears5:2014
Refereeyears6:2015–present
Refereeyears7:2016
Refereeyears8:2016–present
Refereeyears9:2017–present
Refereecomps1:Vodacom Cup
Refereecomps2:Varsity Cup
Refereecomps3:Currie Cup
Refereecomps4:IRB Sevens World Series
Refereecomps5:2014 Commonwealth Games
Refereecomps6:Top 14
Refereecomps7:2016 Summer Olympics
Refereecomps8:Super Rugby
Refereecomps9:Pro14
Refereeapps1:20
Refereeapps2:8
Refereeapps3:20

Fhatuwani 'Rasta' Rasivhenge (born in Johannesburg on 3 January 1986) is a South African rugby union referee who is a member of the South African Rugby Union (SARU) Premier Panel.He was appointed to referee the final of the rugby sevens tournament at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Career

Rasivhenge has been a regular referee on the IRB Sevens World Series circuit since the 2011–12 season[1] and also refereed in South African domestic rugby union competitions, the Currie Cup, Vodacom Cup and Varsity Cup since 2010.

Rasivhenge was also a rugby sevens referee during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

In 2014, Rasivhenge took a sabbatical from the South African Rugby Union and was recruited by the Australian Rugby Union; he subsequently appeared as an Australian referee in the IRB Sevens World Series.[2] [3]

He returned to South Africa prior to the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division and signed a contract with SARU until 2019.[4] He refereed eight matches in the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division and was awarded the final between the and, in the process becoming the youngest referee ever to do so.

He was also appointed to referee two matches in the French professional leagues in 2015–16 – a Pro D2 match between and and a Top 14 match between and .[5]

In 2016, Rasivhenge was added to the referees' roster for the 2016 Super Rugby season for the first time.[6]

Rasivhenge was also selected as a referee for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. At the games, he was appointed to referee the final of the games between England and Fiji, won by the Fijians 41-7.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: In-touch with South African Referees . www.sareferees.co.za . 15 July 2011 . 13 October 2014 . 12.
  2. Web site: Series Round 1, Australia, Final Cup - 12/10/2014 17:49PM . https://web.archive.org/web/20141019085909/http://www.irbsevens.com/matches/idcup=1040/season=2014/edition=9/gameno=45/matchDetails.html . usurped . October 19, 2014 . International Rugby Board . 12 October 2014 . 13 October 2014.
  3. Web site: 'Rasta' Rasivhenge here to share . Fiji Sun . 10 November 2014 . 11 January 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141206150951/http://fijisun.com.fj/2014/11/10/rasta-rasivhenge-here-to-share/ . 6 December 2014 . live.
  4. Web site: Three leading referees renew contracts with SARU . Rugby15 . 6 August 2015 . 6 August 2015.
  5. Web site: Rasta goes to Paris . SA Rugby Referees . 26 October 2015 . 27 October 2015.
  6. Refs and law variations revealed . SANZAR . 2 February 2016 . 2 February 2016.