Top Zimbabwean rugby referee Precious Pazani has been named on the elite list of some of the world’s leading rugby match officials who will take charge of the Under-20 version of the Six Nations competition.
The multi-talented Pazani has been on a steady rise on the continent since crossing over from basketball to rugby, where she played for Zimbabwe in women’s rugby sevens before venturing into refereeing in 2014.
And Pazani, who has set her sights on becoming the first local referee to feature at the World Cup, will make a big leap in her career when she participates in the Under-20 Six Nations Championships in Europe.
Her appointment has earned her praises from the continental rugby governing body Rugby Africa.
“Rugby Africa is proud to announce the appointment of Precious Pazani as referee for the Six Nations Under-20 tournament. Precious is a hard-working referee with a bright future,” Rugby Africa said in a statement on Tuesday evening.
Pazani will serve as an assistant referee in the clash between Italy and Scotland at the Stadio Comunale di Monigo in Treviso on March 11.
She will be joined by South African Aimee Barrett-Theron, who will be the match referee while her compatriot Adriaan Jacobs will serve as the second assistant referee.
Pazani will also serve as an assistant referee in the Under-20 Six Nations clash between France and England in Perpignan on March 20, where Jacobs will be the referee with Barrett-Theron joining the Zimbabwean on assistant referee duty.
The latest appointment is another feather in the cap of the trailblazing Pazani, whose profile continues to rise in World Rugby.
Top @ZimRugbyUnion female referee, Precious Pazani, took charge of the women’s Rugby World Cup qualifier between @kenyalioness & Colombia at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on the 25th of August.https://t.co/j9y1fnRgj4#RugbyAfrica #Riseofwomensrugby #whyweplay #AfricaAsOne
— Rugby Afrique (@RugbyAfrique) October 6, 2021
In 2019 she became the first female Zimbabwean to officiate a World Rugby women’s Test match after taking charge of the game between South Africa and Spain in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Pazani has also officiated in high profile matches on the continent was in the middle when the Sables played Uganda in the Victoria Cup at Harare Sports Club in 2019 before also taking charge of the other match between Zambia and Uganda.