The Fiji Rugby Referees Awards Night will recognise the hard work and commitment shown by match officials throughout the year, while also aiming to inspire more young people to join the referees fraternity.
Fiji Rugby Union High Performance Unit Referee Manager, James Bolabiu, highlighted this when speaking to fijivillage Sports as they prepare for the upcoming Referees Awards Night.
Bolabiu say the landscape of rugby has shifted significantly in recent years and Fiji is seeing a growing wave of passionate referees stepping up to the whistle.
Bolabiu says that preparing these officials for national duties is now a key priority.
He says interest in refereeing is at an all time high and the numbers speak for themselves, with strong participation across the country.
However, he notes that many referees have walked away over the years because their safety and emotions were compromised by crowd behaviour during matches.
He adds that he has identified several gaps that need strengthening to raise the standard of refereeing in Fiji and wants to implement changes that will support local officials progressing to Super Rugby and Test match appointments.
Referees Awards Night will be held on the 20th of December at the Vodafone Arena.
