The squad of 22 match officials set to take charge of the women’s and men’s rugby sevens competitions was announced by World Rugby earlier today to mark the 100 days to go milestone until the action kicks off in Tokyo Stadium on 26 July 2021.

The match officials squad contains representatives from 12 countries spread across four continents and includes eight female referees.

Davidson (28) made her international refereeing debut in the World Rugby Sevens Series in March 2017 at the Las Vegas Sevens. Later that year, she was selected as an official in the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

The former Scotland U20s player also officiated at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018, and has since been a regular match official to the Women’s Six Nations competition.

Davidson’s Olympic appointment falls hot on the heels of her refereeing appointment to Munster v Benetton in the Guinness PRO14, marking her first top-tier men’s game.

Reacting to today’s announcement, Davidson said: “Getting to the Olympic Games is something Sam and I have been working towards since we joined the Sevens circuit four years ago, and to have actually been named in the squad today is unbelievable.

“Because of the delays to the event due to coronavirus, it will be an Olympics like no other and in some ways that’s quite special.”
Hollie Davidson

Similarly to Davidson, 28-year-old Sam Grove-White, a regular match official to the PRO14 following his debut in November 2017, has also enjoyed a range of success on the international stage.

Grove-White first refereed in the World Rugby Sevens Series in 2017, before going on to officiate in the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the U20s Six Nations championship.

Speaking to Scottish Rugby, Grove-White said: “Officiating at the Olympic Games has been a goal of mine since I first started on the Sevens circuit. To be close to realising that dream is incredible.”

“Having the games as a target to aim for during the covid-19 pandemic has been really positive. Everyone named today has worked so hard to get here.

“I have some great memories from my time officiating at the Gold Coast Commonwealth in 2018, and Tokyo 2021 promises to be another special occasion.”
Sam Grove-White

Tappe Henning, Scottish Rugby’s Referee Commissioner said: “I am absolutely delighted that Hollie and Sam have been appointed to the Tokyo Olympic Games match official squad, following in the footsteps of fellow Scottish Rugby officials Mike Adamson, Alex Logan (nee Pratt) and Bob Easton, who officiated at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

“To see two more Scottish officials get the call up to take part at the biggest sporting event in the world is really exciting, and a testament to the hard work Hollie and Sam have put in on and off the pitch.

“Worldwide sporting events like the Olympics have the power to inspire people, young and old, to become more active and get into sport, and I think the same can be said for match officiating. I hope that the success of Hollie and Sam’s experience at this level will encourage more people to take up the whistle.”

Find out more about becoming a match official HERE.

Images used courtesy of Inpho.