'Before every match, I feel him beside me': Georgian ref Saba Makharadze

Being selected as one of 12 referees for the upcoming World Rugby Junior World Championship in Georgia was a moment Saba Makharadze could only dream of when the tournament was last played in his native country.

Makharadze, 25, was a rugby-mad teenager back in 2017 and was left open-eyed by the sight of the biggest stars of age-grade rugby training and playing in his home city of Kutaisi.

By then, Makharadze, the son of a domestic Georgian Championship winner, had already begun refereeing, and watching every match in person only served to inspire him to achieve more as an official.

“I was there every matchday, from 10am to 7pm. I was invited to open training sessions and got to meet players including (current All Blacks) Will Jordan, Asafa Aumua and others. I thought that one day I would love to referee in the U20 Championship myself,” he explained.

A full-time referee since 2025, Makharadze has been able to lean on the support of his older brother, Bakari, a psychologist, as the stakes and pressure to perform have increased. “He helps me sometimes, when I go through difficult times in my career and in life; we share our thoughts and experiences.”

And Georgia’s finest and most experienced referee, Nika Amashukeli, has obviously been another mentor to him, alongside his supportive family.

“Nika was the first Georgian to make it to the elite level of refereeing from a tier two nation, and he is not only a coach for me but also a mentor and a really good friend,” said Makharadze.

“When I watch him, I realise what I need to do; he is one of the best in the world and a really good example for me.

“He always shares his experiences with me, which is priceless, and we train together every day and he leads me and shows me the way.

“If I walk that way, I will find my own path to elite rugby, which has always been, and still is, my dream.”

You’d be hard-pressed to meet anyone as enthusiastic about rugby and refereeing as Makharadze, who, as a 15-year-old, translated the laws of rugby from English so that he could get a better understanding of his craft.

Makharadze has been given the honour of refereeing the opening match in Tbilisi between Argentina and USA on 27 June, and his late father, Nugzari, will undoubtedly be in his thoughts just before he blows the first whistle.

“Over the years, rugby has given me some of the most powerful memories of my life. The one that stands above all others was my very first match in the top domestic championship – a defining moment in my career. It was a high-intensity game, filled with tension from the first whistle to the last,” he recalled.

“Before the match, my father told me he was going to come and watch. I kept looking for him in the crowd, but I couldn’t see him anywhere, and part of me wondered if he had made it at all. But the moment the game ended, there he was, waiting for me by the stands. He hugged me and, with pride in his voice, said, ‘This is my son.’

“He was my greatest supporter – the one who believed in me even in moments when I doubted myself. I lost my father two years ago, but his presence has never left me. Before every match, I feel him beside me. I hear him in the silence before kick-off, and I know, without a doubt, that he’s still there, cheering me on.”

Makharadze is joined by Christopher Allison (South Africa), Kevin Bralley (France), Ruairidh Campbell (Scotland), Ben Connor (Wales), Gonzalo de Achaval (Argentina), Robbie Jenkinson (Ireland), Reuben Keane (Australia), Saba Makharadze (Georgia), Luke Rogan (USA), George Selwood (England), David Vosalevu (Fiji) and Morgan White (Hong Kong China) on the 12-strong panel of referees.

The 2026 edition of the Junior World Championship has been expanded to 16 teams, and runs from 27 June to 18 July.

More information on the tournament can be found on the tournament’s dedicated website.