England v Australia referee was stabbed after rugby match

Born in Tbilisi in 1994, Nika Amashukeli grew up a football fan like most kids in Georgia—but everything changed when he was 11. That year, his father sat him down in front of the TV and “literally forced” him to watch Ireland v Georgia during the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

One game was enough. He was captivated.

From that day on, Amashukeli’s life revolved around rugby. He began playing himself and went on to represent Georgia at U17, U18, and U19 levels, even making the squad for the 2012 European Under-18 Championship. But a series of devastating injuries—five concussions, a broken ankle, and ongoing knee problems—ended his playing career at just 20 years old.

Still, his passion for the game endured. It simply took on a new form.

In 2015, Amashukeli traded his player’s kit for a referee’s whistle, overseeing his first Test match when he officiated the first half of Montenegro v Estonia in the European Nations Cup Third Division.

He steadily built his credentials, taking charge at the 2019 World Rugby U20 Championship in Argentina before sharing the pitch with his refereeing idol, Wayne Barnes, during the 2020 Autumn Nations Cup.

A year later, he made history.

In July 2021, Amashukeli became the first Georgian to referee a tier-one international when he took charge of Wales v Canada in Cardiff. That same year, he officiated Ireland v Japan, Barbarians v Tonga, and Wales v Australia. The next season brought another landmark moment: his Six Nations debut, as Ireland crushed Italy in Dublin. He returned for the 2023 Championship, firmly establishing himself as one of rugby’s brightest refereeing prospects.

But Amashukeli’s journey nearly came to a tragic halt before it had truly begun.

In 2016, during a Didi 10 domestic match between Armia and Batumi, chaos erupted after Armia salvaged a last-minute draw. Miscommunication about the remaining time sparked outrage among Batumi’s players and fans.

“There was no official timekeeping—referees controlled the time,” Amashukeli later told The Telegraph. “I told one of the captains there were four minutes left. He misheard and thought I said two. They kicked it out after two minutes thinking it was over. But there were still two minutes to go. The other team took the line-out, won a penalty, and drew the match.”

The aftermath turned violent.

Spectators accused him of corruption. The crowd erupted. Threats and abuse mounted—and in the chaos, someone drew a knife.

“I felt something in my leg,” he recalled. “I looked down—blood was pouring out. I had been stabbed.”

The assailant was never caught.

Hospitalised and shaken, Amashukeli considered quitting for good. But after recovering, he made the toughest choice of his career: to keep going.

Since then, he hasn’t looked back.