Three BC Match Officials Assigned to World Rugby WXV Tournaments, Shanda Assmus, Chris Assmus and Julianne Zussman
Three BC match officials have been named to the World Rugby appointments for the WXV tournaments. Julianne Zussman will officiate at WXV 1 in Vancouver, Chris Assmus will be TMO at WXV 2 in South Africa and Shanda Assmus will officiate at WXV 3 in Dubai. All tournaments take place over September and October this year.
Canadian Press wrote an article with added details which is appended below. The full list of appointments from World Rugby is also appended below.
World Rugby WXV match official appointments
WXV 1 – Vancouver, Canada – 29 September-12 October, 2024
Referees
Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU)
Maggie Cogger-Orr (NZR)
Sara Cox (RFU)
Aurélie Groizeleau (FFR)
Kat Roche (USAR)
Julianne Zussman (RC)
TMOs
Leo Colgan (IRFU)
Quinton Immelman (SARU)
Andrew McMenemy (SRU)
Ian Tempest (RFU)
WXV 2 – Cape Town, South Africa – 27 September-12 October, 2024
Referees
Ella Goldsmith (RA)
Maria Latos (DRV)
Amelia Luciano (USAR)
Clara Munarini (FIR)
Zoe Naude (SARU)
Precious Pazani (ZRU)
TMOs
Chris Assmus (RC)
Matteo Liperini (FIR)
Aaron Paterson (NZR)
Estelle Whaiapu (NZR)
WXV 3 – Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 27 September-12 October, 2024
Referees
Shanda Assmus (RC)
Natarsha Ganley (NZR)
Mélissa Leboeuf (FFR)
Jess Ling (RA)
Tyler Miller (RA)
Holly Wood (RFU)
Assistant referee
Sunny Lee (HKCR)
TMOs
Rachel Horton (RA)
Dan Jones (RFU)
Oli Kellett (RA)
World Rugby WXV Match Assignments
Canadian referee Shanda Assmus will make her test debut this fall at the WXV rugby tournament.
Assmus has been assigned to WXV 3, the third tier of the annual rugby competition that runs Sept. 29 to Oct. 12 in Dubai.
Fellow Canadian Julianne Zussman, a former Canadian international player, will serve as a referee for WXV 1, which runs at the same time in B.C.
Assmus and Zussman are among 18 referees representing 11 nations for the tournament, with WXV 2 taking place in South Africa.
Transplanted Canuck Maggie Cogger-Orr, who now makes her home in New Zealand, is also part of the WXV 1 officials panel. Cogger-Orr grew up in Markham, Ont., and played rugby at McMaster before moving to New Zealand in 2014 for school and rugby. Now a teacher, she lives in Auckland.
The third-ranked Canadian women open WXV 1 play against No. 4 France on Sept. 29 at Vancouver’s B.C. Place Stadium before facing No. 10 Ireland on Oct. 5 in Langley and No. 1 England on Oct. 12 at B.C. Place.
Cogger-Orr will be in charge of the Canada-France game.
Assmus was a finalist in the Official of the Year category for Sport B.C.’s Annual Athlete of the Year Awards in March,
She was the first person to referee both men’s and women’s national university finals in the same year, as well as being the first to officiate both B.C. Rugby men’s and women’s Premier League finals.