Two SA referees crack nod on Rugby World Cup Sevens panel

South African referees AJ Jacobs and Morne Ferreira have been included in a panel of match officials for the Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament scheduled for Cape Town Cape Town Stadium on 9-11 September. 

World Rugby on Friday announced 18 men and women match officials, representing 13 countries, who will do duty at Cape Town Stadium.

"Both AJ and Morne are experienced referees in the 15s and sevens codes and their performances on the World Rugby Sevens Series in the last few months have been superb, so we are very proud of them being included on the RWC Sevens panel," SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux said in a statement.

"The naming of the match officials for Rugby World Cup Sevens is another milestone in the build-up to the tournament, which will be like no other seen in South Africa before, and I'm sure the men and women selected to carry the whistle at this tournament will do very well to ensure it is the spectacle we expect."

2?? South Africans have been included on the match official panel for @RugbyWorldCup Sevens in Cape Town later this year - more here: https://t.co/MWlQ3Oha1o pic.twitter.com/xIOHExkQnX

Eight other referees were chosen for the men's event, namely Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy), Adam Leal (England), Jeremy Rozier (France), Reuben Keane (Australia), Jordan Way (Australia), Nick Hogan (New Zealand), Tevita Rokovereni (Fiji) and Francisco Gonzalez (Urugauy).

The referees for the women's event include Ben Breakspear (Wales), Hollie Davidson (Scotland), Eki Fanlo (Spain), Lauren Jenner (New Zealand), Francisco Lopez (USA), Tyler Miller (Australia), Selica Winiata (New Zealand), and Julianne Zussman (Canada).

Rozier and Davidson are the only officials to have refereed at a previous Rugby World Cup Sevens, having been