Asia Rugby confirmed the 2026 Match Officials Panels, which include elite, talent identification, and development panels to oversee key tournaments in the region.
The regional governing body said the selection spanned “the full breadth of Asia Rugby’s membership, the appointments underline a strategic focus on high performance, gender equity, and long-term sustainability in officiating, supported by key partners including Emirates and A One Sportswear.
They added that the selection was based on “a clear and structured set of criteria focused on merit, performance, and integrity. Candidates were nominated by their Member Unions and assessed against key benchmarks including eligibility, qualifications, match experience, fitness standards, and professional conduct.”
Elite Match Official Panel 2026
The Asia Rugby Elite Panel comprises 23 match officials who will oversee the premier competitions across Asia, including the Asia Rugby Emirates Championships.
Joanna Bezuidenhout (Qatar) joins the panel. The female representation already includes Hibiki Ikeda (Japan), Sunny Lee Chui (Hong Kong China), Christabelle Lim Mee (Singapore), and Ano Kuwai (Japan).
The men’s cohort comprises Ibuki Tetsuka (Japan), Qu Shenggang (China), Wei Ming Lin (Sonny) (Chinese Taipei), Tetsuya Hirakawa (Japan), Leow Wei Liang (Singapore), Craig Chan (Hong Kong China), Francesco Cammisa (Hong Kong China), Ishanka Abeykoon (Sri Lanka), Dechdanai Wangyuen (Top) (Thailand), Aymen Jriji (Saudi Arabia), Morgan White (Hong Kong China), Katsuki Furuse (Japan), J.P. Clement (UAE), Jaco De Wit (UAE), James Fairbourn (UAE), Koki Yamamuchi (Japan), Takehito Namekawa (Japan), and Matthew Rodden (Hong Kong China).
Talent Identification Panel 2026
The Talent Identification Panel (TIP) is represented by six female officials; Miku Tashiro (Japan), Niu Yuru (China), Ivy Kwong (Hong Kong China), Alice Chenzhuo (China), Adeline Chew (Singapore), and Yuen Yee Jan Tang (Hong Kong China), and 8 male officials; M Ayman Adeeb Bin Afendy (Malaysia), Lorence Ishuga (UAE), Rikito Nobuhara (Japan), Thomas Ngan Chun (Hong Kong China), Teruki Inanishi (Japan), Raveen Alexander (Sri Lanka), Jack Taylor (UAE), and Yusaku Murata (Japan).
Development Panel 2026
Asia Rugby says the “Development Panel underlines the organisation’s investment in grassroots officiating and the expansion of the game across emerging unions.”
The panel includes two female representatives: Dollayakon Phooknoy (Thailand), Merida Gongwenwen (China), as well as 10 male officials: Muhammad Amirul Alrashid (Malaysia), Harshal Shrimant Dolas (India), Pankajkumar Avdheshkumar Singh (India), Xueshuai Tan (China), Zahang Xin (China), Muhammad Ghalib Javed (Pakistan), Prem Bahadur Koirala (Nepal), Taha Mahmood Shihab (Iraq), Thanawat Sitthiasenarak (Thailand), and Shane O’Hehir (Singapore).
Asia Rugby TMO / AR2 panel 2026
The Television Match Officials and Assistant Referees panel has just one female rep; Christabelle Lim Mee (Singapore) and 11 male members; Tasuku Kawahara (Japan), Simon Dodds (UAE), Taku Otsuki (Japan), Shane Barr (Hong Kong China), Matthew Rodden (Hong Kong China), Wang Zheng Just (Singapore), Stephen Copeman (Hong Kong China), Sam Brown (Hong Kong China), Patrick Kwok (Hong Kong China), James Perry (Singapore), and Shuhei Kubo (Japan).
CMO / PR Panel
The Coach Match Officials / Performance Review Panel comprises one female member; Gabriel Lee (Hong Kong China), as well as 17 male reps; Dewi Rowlands (Hong Kong China), Shane Barr (Hong Kong China), Simon Dodd (UAE), Taku Otsuki (Japan), Dilroy Fernando (Asia Rugby), Peter Hudson (Qatar), Nizam Nazarudin (Malaysia), Bandit Panjangampatana (Thailand), Anil Jayasinghe (Sri Lanka), George Danapal (Singapore), Sufian Ahmad (Singapore), Tasuku Kawahara (Japan), Richard Benson (Hong Kong China), Jason Broderick (Hong Kong China), Shuhei Kubo (Japan), Mukesh Kumar (India), and Liu Hao (China).
Qais Al Dhalai, President of Asia Rugby, said, “We have been open in recognising that there were gaps in officiating standards, particularly those identified in 2020 and 2021 through feedback from our Member Unions and team coaching staff, and we have listened carefully to those perspectives.
Over the past five years, we have worked diligently to strengthen structures, improve consistency, and elevate the overall quality of match officiating across the region. This progress reflects a clear understanding at the leadership level of the importance of high-quality officiating to the integrity and growth of the game.”
Asian Rugby News 2026
- Asian International Rugby Tournaments 2026.
- Gerry Prabhu On CASA, Rugby India’s Growth, and RPL Season 2.
- Brave Blossoms 2026 Home Tests and Venues Confirmed.
- WXV Global Series Challenger 2026 To Be Hosted in Hong Kong.
Trending Now
The Best Social 2026 Rugby Tournaments In Asia
