Robbie Jenkinson is one of 12 referees and four television match officials who have been appointed to the showpiece global event for Under-20 Men's international teams, which kicks off on Saturday, June 27.
Refereeing is one of the most rewarding ways to be involved in rugby. Click here for more information from the IRFU Referee Department.
World Rugby Talent ID Manager and Tournament Referee Manager Johnny Lacey commented: "The selection of this panel highlights the officials that are coming through our pathway system.
"It's great to see all of World Rugby's regional associations and regional competitions represented.
"I would like to thank the regional referee managers and regional competition managers for their work and commitment to developing these officials through their competitions."
During the pool stages, Jenkinson will referee Italy v Scotland in Kutaisi, and Wales v Uruguay in Tbilisi, before having an assistant referee role for the July 7 meetings of France and Australia, and Spain and Fiji - both at Kutaisi's AIA Arena. Click here for the list of appointments.
The 2025/26 season has been one of serious progress for the Dubliner, who made his BKT United Rugby Championship and Test match refereeing debuts in recent months, notably taking charge of two Guinness Women's Six Nations games in Cardiff and Parma.
A business systems analyst by profession, the 30-year-old has since signed a full-time contract with the IRFU to advance to their High Performance Referee panel, joining the elite group of Andrew Brace, Eoghan Cross, and Peter Martin.
Encouraged by his dad Mark, himself a former Leinster Rugby referee, Robbie first took up the whistle in 2014 while rehabbing a hand injury.
A scrum half, he continued to play for Skerries RFC and combine it with refereeing until hanging up his boots in 2019.
Since then he rose steadily through the ranks whilst officiating within his province and at All-Ireland League level, winning the Alain Rolland Referee Performance of the Year in 2022 from the Leinster Rugby Referees. AR appointments followed in the URC and EPCR tournaments.
Overseen by Dudley Phillips, the IRFU Head of Referees, the Union's collaboration with other nations has seen developing referees like Jenkinson gain crucial experience of different competitions aboard as part of the referee exchange programme.
He refereed in South Africa's Currie Cup in the early stages of this season, as well as in the Pro D2 in France.
More recently, he has been Stateside this month for a couple of Major League Rugby appointments.
He is following in the footsteps of his IRFU colleagues, Brace, Cross, and Martin, who refereed at the 2016, 2023, and 2025 Junior World Championships, respectively, showing what a proven pathway it is towards officiating at the highest level of the game.
For the 2026 edition in Georgia, the Ireland Under-20s have been drawn in Pool C with Argentina, England, and the USA.
Tickets can be purchased online here, with options for daily, city, and tournament passes available.
2026 WORLD RUGBY JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP - EMIRATES MATCH OFFICIALS PANEL:
REFEREES -
Christopher Allison (South Africa), Kevin Bralley (France), Ruairidh Campbell (Scotland), Ben Connor (Wales), Gonzalo de Achaval (Argentina), Robbie Jenkinson (Ireland), Reuben Keane (Australia), Saba Makharadze (Georgia), Luke Rogan (USA), George Selwood (England), David Vosalevu (Fiji), Morgan White (Hong Kong China)
TMOS -
Matt Rodden (Hong Kong China), Aled Griffiths (Wales), Paulo Duarte (Portugal), Francisco González (Uruguay)