One of Sri Lanka’s leading rugby union referees in the present, Raveen Alexander will depart for Japan to officiate in the “12th Japan High School Sevens Tournament” which will be scheduled to play on 23rd July 2025 at Sania Park Sugadaira Rugby Stadium, Japan.
Raveen Alexander is a proud product of Vidyartha College, Kandy, and he went on to captain the Tigers outfit in 2016. After ending his schooling career, he took the challenge of blowing the whistle, and within a very short period, he reached the pinnacle of his local refereeing by officiating elite-level matches at both the school and club levels.
His skills, commitment and passion for the game finally got paid as he was selected to the Asia Rugby “Talent Identification (TID)” match officiating panel, which focuses on scouting and nurturing emerging referees within the Asian region.
This young prospect possesses international level experience by refereeing at Saints 7s Rugby Tournament – Singapore, Borneo Rugby 7s – Malaysia, COBRA 10s Rugby Tournament – Malaysia, Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy, 2024 in Nepal and in Nepal Domestic rugby tournaments.
Raveen is one of the island’s most reliable match officials, frequently trusted with officiating crucial games (including those in previous Inter-Club Rugby League and Knockout Tournaments as well as in the ongoing school’s rugby league tournament). Also, he is widely regarded as a referee who can absorb all the pressure in tight games and who can deliver accurate decisions despite the situation of the match.
Further, Sri Lanka’s rugby referee Dilum Dheeshana, who resides in Japan due to his profession, also will feature in this highest-level Japanese school tournament. Dilum, who is also a past player from Vidyartha College, is a talented rugby referee who has successfully refereed A division schools and club matches before his migration.
Japan Rugby Union, which is one of the heavyweights in Asian rugby, has closely monitored the accreditation of the referees to officiate this elite tournament by considering their World Rugby Level 2 qualifications, fitness levels, and the accuracy of the match officiating and the game management capacity. Hence, this appointment will also be considered a testament to the quality of local referees, as the current committee is committed to uplifting their standards continuously. Arranging training programs by inviting the world’s top referees and granting financial support to gain international match officiating experience are highlights among them.
We wish you all the very best, young Sri Lankan referee, to excel in Japan and to keep the Lions flag flying high.
