Nika Amashukeli

Nika Amashukeli (Georgian: ნიკა ამაშუკელი) is a Georgian rugby union and World Rugby elite referee, first Georgian in high performance group, he is also first ever referee from the tier 2 rugby nations who has reached this level.

Nika Amashukeli
Date of birth (1994-09-18) September 18, 1994
Place of birthTbilisi, Georgia
Rugby union career
Position(s) High Performance Referee
Refereeing career
Years Competition Apps
- Didi 10
All-Ireland League
Rugby Europe U18
U20 Championship
Rugby Europe
Continental Shield
Challenge Cup
U20 Six Nations
Guinness Pro14
Autumn Nations Cup
Correct as of 3 November 2021

Background

The first ever rugby match Nika Amashukeli watched in full on TV was Ireland v Georgia at 2007 Rugby World Cup, which was refereed by Wayne Barnes . Surprisingly so after 13 years , in 2020 Nika and Wayne refereed a match together in Autumn Nations Cup between Scotland and France [1]

Nika started playing for his local club called Jiki at the age off 11. Soon after he was recalled to play for various Georgian age-grade national teams as a center. He was selected for Georgia U18 team for 2012 European Under-18 Rugby Union Championship. By the age of 20 he had persistent knee injuries and 5 concussions, so he decided to retire from playing and start refereeing.

Refereeing career

In 2013 Georgian Rugby Union started a program aimed at improving the standard of Georgian referees; a new relationship with IRFU has started. This included Irish referees regularly officiating Georgian domestic league matches, Georgian referees officiating All-Ireland League matches and attending IRFU workshops.[2] Nika was among the first young referees recruited through this program in 2013.

In 2016 in an incident after a Georgian domestic league match between Batumi and Army Nika Amashukeli was wounded in the leg with a sharp object by one of the Army club officials.[3][4]

In 2019 he attracted rugby followers' attention when during the U20 Six Nations match he was temporarily substituted after a blood injury . [5] Nika left the field , stitched the cutting and happily returned in 12 minutes to finish the match.

Highlight of Nika's career was U20 World cup in 2019 Argentina, where the World Rugby was highly impressed with emerging Georgian talent as afterwards he got appointments from Joel Jutge to referee in EPCR competitions .

He was named as the best Georgian referee seven times since 2013[6]

After working alongside Wayne Barnes during the Autumn Nations Cup in 2020, Nika rated Wayne Barnes as the number 1 referee in the world at the moment.[7]

In 2020 Nika launched a Facebook page named «Rugby Laboratory» where he posts videos explaining basics of rugby laws to new supporters of the game.[8]

In 2021 Nika had a successful debut in July internationals, having officiated on Wales - Canada match, first ever Georgian to do tier 1 nations game. His second match Romania - Scotland was called off due to COVID-19 restrictions. Nika's pathway continued through as he got top level appointments on November internationals, set to officiate in Ireland - Japan, French Barbarians - Tonga and Wales - Australia ‘s matches.

Nika is coached and tutored by David McHugh.[9]

References
  1. "ნიკა ამაშუკელი | ზღაპარი 'მარიფილდზე' და ქართული დერბი ჩელენჯ ქაფზე" (in Georgian). 26 November 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  2. "Ireland helps to raise bar for Georgian refs". irb.com. 11 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  3. "Fact of rugby referee wounding in Poti confirmed by Rugby Union". 28 March 2016. Archived from the original on 19 April 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  4. "The Board will Discuss the "Referee Case"". 5 April 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  5. "Referee blood bin – World first?". 11 March 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  6. "Грузинские рефери на международной арене: Ника Амашукели в ПРО-14 и КШН U20" (in Russian). 12 May 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  7. "ნიკა ამაშუკელი: "ბარნსი ამჟამად საუკეთესო მსაჯია და მასთან მუშაობა უდიდესი პასუხისმგებლობაა"" (in Georgian). 25 November 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  8. "რაგბის ლაბორატორია როგორ უნდა მოხდეს სარაგბო ცნობიერების ამაღლება ამაშუკელის ახალი პროექტი" (in Georgian). 8 August 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  9. "Owen Doyle: Mixed bag from Wayne Barnes as he continues race for referee gold". 6 April 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2021.


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