From a rookie to the Rugby World Cup in just four years! Young Georgian referee for England’s game against Japan was STABBED after a match and is a fitness fanatic… and he has already carded Owen Farrell!

• Nika Amashukeli will take charge of England’s next Rugby World Cup match 
• The referee has progressed from being a rookie to the tournament in four years 
• He has enjoyed a colourful officiating career but was stabbed following a game
• Latest Rugby World Cup 2023 news, including fixtures, live scores and results

The referee for England’s next Rugby World Cup match against Japan is a young Georgian sensation who was once stabbed after a game, it can be revealed.

Aged just 28, Nika Amashukeli is one of the world’s youngest top-tier officials but has been thrust into the spotlight four years after starting out as a fresh-faced rookie.

His test refereeing career began in 2015, when he officiated Montenegro v Estonia, and just a matter of years later, he progressed to appointments at the World Rugby U20 Championship in 2019. Quickly, Amashukeli impressed at continental level.

He first refereed a tier one international in July 2021, for Wales’ match against Canada, and oversaw four Autumn Internationals fixtures later that year.

Continuing his rise, Amashukeli, who made history as the first Georgian to officiate at a World Cup, refereed 2022 Rugby Championship and 2023 Six Nations games. 

Young Georgian referee Nika Amashukeli will officiate England’s next Rugby World Cup match

Amashukeli sin binned Owen Farrell during England’s warm-up victory against Wales

More recently, Amashukeli made headlines after sin binning Owen Farrell during England’s warm-up game against Wales in August. Referring the decision to the new off-field TMO ‘bunker’, Farrell’s yellow card was later upgraded to a red.

Farrell, of course, initially escaped a ban after his red was overturned, though he was summoned back for a second hearing and hit with a four-game suspension.

Amashukeli’s officiating career has been far from smooth sailing, however.

In 2016, he was involved in an incident that resulted in him sustaining a stab wound on his leg after a fractious Georgian domestic league match. The game in the Didi 10, the top tier of rugby in the country, saw Armia fight back to draw with Batumi.

It was a costly moment of miscommunication between Amashukeli and the Batumi captain that settled the result, though, leading to anger among supporters.

Now aged just 28, Amashukeli has progressed from rookie to officiating at the highest level

His passion for rugby remains as strong as ever despite him being stabbed in the leg in 2016

Soon after the final whistle, Amashukeli was stabbed in the leg.

‘It was an emotional match,’ he told The Telegraph. ‘After I left the pitch, there was a lot of abuse and swearing and the supporters followed. 

‘There was a big scuffle but the adrenaline was rushing through me. Someone had a knife. Suddenly, I felt something in my leg. I looked down, blood was pouring out. 

‘I had been stabbed.’

Despite debating whether to walk away from rugby after the harrowing incident, Amashukeli opted to remain on course and, mercifully, made a full recovery.

Amashukeli has regularly shared updates via Georgia Rugby’s official Instagram account

During the World Cup pool stage, he has already taken charge of Ireland v Romania and has been appointed for England v Japan and Australia v Portugal.

Depending on which teams progress, he may be in line to referee a quarter-final.

Born in Tbilisi in 1994, Amashukeli grew up a football fanatic but started playing rugby aged 11. He recalled being ‘literally forced’ by his father to watch Ireland lock horns with Georgia on TV during the 2007 World Cup and became hooked.

Amashukeli went on to represent Georgia at U-17, U-18 and U-19 levels but retired from playing aged 20 after suffering five concussions and a broken angle. 

He has now become somewhat associated with Instagram reels on Georgia Rugby’s official page showing him recording videos while addressing the camera. Typically, he is either working out in the gym or travelling to referee various games.

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