South African referee Ben Crouse will break new ground when he takes up the whistle in the USA’s Major League Rugby competition on a five-week assignment in February and March.
Crouse, who is on SA Rugby’s national panel and received an invite from the MRL tournament organisers, will travel to Salt Lake City in Utah next month, where he will referee six matches.
The MLR competition, which features 10 teams, was launched in 2017 with the objective of driving American rugby to a higher level as a professional sport, and as an avenue for young men and women to participate in sport.
The MRL season will kick off on 26 January and conclude in May.