Australia's Amy Perrett selected on the International Rugby Board's Rugby Sevens Referee Panel

Australian Rugby Union today congratulated Australian Referee Amy Perrett on her selection on the International Rugby Board’s Female Rugby Sevens Referee Panel.

The International Rugby Board last night announced two female referee panels, one for the Fifteens game and one for Rugby Sevens.

The Panels for 2012-13 were announced as preparation continues towards Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 in Moscow and Women’s Rugby World Cup 2014 in France.

The panel were selected following an extensive and ongoing commitment by the IRB to improve standards of officiating.

Now an official Olympic Sport, Men’s and Women’s Rugby Sevens entered its first four-year Olympic cycle at the conclusion of the London Olympics earlier in the year.

ARU Managing Director and CEO, John O’Neill AO, congratulated Ms Perrett on her appointment and said it was pleasing to see the continued growth and support for Women’s Rugby Sevens.

“Since being announced to join the Olympic family in 2009 Rugby Sevens has gone from strength to strength in Australia and around the world,” Mr O’Neill said.

“The creation of these panels is another step in the right direction to ensure the exciting game of Rugby Sevens continues to prosper.

“Amy is certainly deserving of selection on the panel and I am very pleased to see Australia enjoy representation on the International Rugby Sevens Referee Panel for Women.”

The 2012/13 season will see the full introduction of the IRB Game Analysis Unit into women’s Sevens with the referees reviewed and analysed on exactly the same terms as their male counterparts.

Supporting the panels is a development pathway that standardises and structures performance management and preparations ahead of Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013, Women’s Rugby World Cup 2014 and the Rugby Sevens tournaments at the 2016 Olympic Games.

The process also ensures that the world's top female referees have opportunities to officiate international men’s and women’s matches.

The Sevens panel consists of: Leah Berard (USA), Sylvie Bros (France), Itziar Diaz (Spain), Marlize Jordaan (South Africa), Gabriel Lee (Hong Kong), Amy Perrett (Australia), Dana Teagarden (USA), Sherry Trumbull (Canada) and Brigitte Tyler (New Zealand).

The full Fifteens panel is: Sylvie Bros (France), Clare Daniels (England), Claire Hodnett (England), Nicky Inwood (New Zealand), Dana Teagarden (USA) and Sherry Trumbull (Canada).