Nika Amashukeli was brief but sincere. In an exclusive interview with It’s Rugby, the Georgian referee looked back on a path full of obstacles, on a “fairly harsh” environment when he was young, on the serious incident he suffered in 2016 but also on his success and the way he sees things.
The Tbilisi native talks, among other things, about the insults that do not get to him, the law he would like to change, the match he would like to referee again and his real talent at a well-known video game… Interview.
IT’S RUGBY. – Nika, can you tell us about your journey?
Nika Amashukeli: I was born at the time when Georgia was regaining its independence from the Soviet Union. Times were very hard in the country and the environment I grew up in was fairly harsh. I started rugby at 11 and moved into refereeing at 20. I stopped playing because of several injuries.
When you were younger, did you have an idol?
I liked certain players but I would not say they were idols. I have one today. It is the Georgian UFC fighter Ilia Topuria.
Is refereeing the hardest job in sport?
I would not say refereeing is harder than being a player. To me it is the same. A referee faces different difficulties, with a general public that is usually negative towards refereeing.
What goes through your head when you make an important decision on the pitch?
We are used to making decisions in a split second. But if the situation is complex, I immediately ask myself whether there are other options to consider in order to reach the best decision.
Have you ever regretted a decision? If so, what did you say to yourself?
When I make a mistake during a match, I realise it quickly. Experience is about stepping back quickly and getting on with my work. After the match, you simply try never to make the same mistake twice.
You are one of the best referees in the world. Maybe even the best referee… What does that represent for you?
I do not consider myself the best in the world and it is not something I think about. Being part of the elite group, on the other hand, gives me incredible passion. I enjoy every moment and I try to do my job as well as I can.
Should a referee be liked by the players, respected, or simply understood?
Referees are not the stars of the game and no referee should expect to be liked or admired. People should understand, though, that decisions are sometimes very complex to make. It is not always black or white.
Can a player change the way you referee during a match through his behaviour?
If the team does its best to stay disciplined and the captain has a very positive attitude, it inevitably makes the referee’s job easier.
The insults mostly make me laugh
How do you deal with insults?
The insults mostly make me laugh. Some of them are very funny!
In your view, has technology, and video in particular, made refereeing fairer ?
Technology has saved a lot of decisions, yes. But it has also brought more controversy and more questioning.
Which law of the game do you find the hardest to understand or to apply today?
Referees work very hard to align with the technical guidelines set by World Rugby. Today, the hardest area to referee technically is the scrum.
Is there a law you would like to review, change or scrap?
I would change the five-second law at the ruck by awarding a free-kick rather than a scrum. We ask for quick ball and then we slow the game down for two minutes with a scrum.
You have become a major figure in international refereeing while coming from Georgia, a country known for a combat style of rugby. Has that changed the way you see your country’s place in the game today?
Georgia has always been, and will always be, a sporting nation built on strength. It is in our genes: we are naturally powerful but we are not as quick (laughs).
Which decision in your career taught you the most?
My Champions Cup match in 2023, between Saracens and Edinburgh. I learned a huge amount in that game and it made me grow a lot as a referee. I was very poor that day and I promised myself never to be that bad again.
Which match would you like to referee a second time?
I would love to referee the match between France and England again, in the 2026 Six Nations. It was simply incredible.
What would you like players to say about you when they think back on you in a few years?
That Nika was good to be around on the pitch and that he stayed himself whatever happened.
In 2016, you went through a very serious moment while you were refereeing a match. What memory do you keep of it?
Unfortunately, after the match, I was stabbed. It certainly pushed me to come back stronger, both mentally and physically.
What happened?
It was my second season in the top flight and it was a relegation match. At the end, one of the teams got the remaining time wrong and they became angry when the game finished. That anger spread to the crowd, and when I left the pitch, some people started chasing me. A big scuffle broke out, and someone cut my leg with a knife.
Do you have a pre-match ritual?
I recite a prayer in old Georgian, three times, during the teams’ anthems.
I would probably take you out so fast on Call of Duty that you would not even understand what is happening to you
Do you have a personal anecdote for us?
I would probably take you out so fast on Call of Duty that you would not even understand what is happening to you! (laughs)
Are you the same person off the pitch as you are as a referee?
That is one of my big philosophies. Always stay yourself, on the pitch and off it.
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