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Two Canadians are in the mix for 2016-17 World Rugby 7s referee panel.

B.C.’s Chris Assmus and Ontario’s Rose LaBreche will both see action during the upcoming season. There will be21 officials on the men’s panel, 12 for the women. Only three of the 12 men who worked in 2015-16 are back: Richard Kelly, Ben Crouse and Rasta Rasivhenge.

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Photo by Paige Stewart / Rugby Canada

LaBreche has officiated at the highest levels of women’s rugbyand was on the officiating team at the Olympic debut for rugby sevens in August in Rio.

Assmus has also been a Rugby Canada national panel referee for several seasons, as well as World Rugby’s development panel, and has taken charge of a number lower-tier international XVs matches in recent seasons

Assmus, a teacher at Chief Dan George Middle School in Abbotsford, will work at three tournaments this coming season: the men’s World Series stops in Las Vegas, Vancouver and Hong Kong.

“From February to April, it would be full-time,” Assmus said. The 28 year old will also be a referee for the World Rugby-organized Americas Rugby Championship, which runs around the same time as the sevens series events. He’ll likely need a leave of some kind from his job.