Canada's Assmus and Zussman to referee at WXV women's rugby tournament

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.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 7, 2024

The Canadian Press