This Saturday see’s the second Aviva Premiership Rugby match to be held the USA when Newcastle Falcons take on Saracens at the Talen Energy Stadium in Philadelphia. JP Doyle (pictured) has been selected to make the trip on this occasion.
The last time Premiership teams faced off across the pond it was Luke Pearce who was the man in the middle, and that mantle now falls to the experienced Doyle in what will be his 135th Premiership appointment. He’ll be accompanied by Paul Burton and Dean Richards as his assistants, with David Sainsbury as TMO and Andy Blyth as citing officer.
Elsewhere in the Premiership, Andrew Jackson will be refereeing his seventh top-flight game as Wasps take on Harlequins. Last time out Wasps scored seven tries in a thumping 47-18 victory over Quins – Mr Jackson will be hoping for a repeat of that game rather than his match last week in which he was the only try scorer, awarding a clear cut penalty try to Newcastle to secure them a narrow win against Sale.
Sticking with Sale, Wayne Barnes takes charge of his 187th Premiership Rugby fixture when they travel to newly-promoted London Irish at the AJ Bell Stadium. Tom Foley is the man in the middle at Franklin’s Gardens where Northampton Saints entertain Bath Rugby off the back of their impressive 24-11 victory over Leicester Tigers.
And in Worcester on Friday evening, Ian Tempest will oversee the Warriors match against Exeter Chiefs. Craig Maxwell-Keys will referee the other Leicester Tigers’ match against Gloucester at Welford Road on Saturday afternoon.
Aviva Premiership referees
Northampton Saints v Bath Rugby
Referee: Thomas Foley (39th Premiership game)
Assistant Referees: Anthony Woodthorpe & Simon McConnell
TMO: Graham Hughes
Sale Sharks v London Irish
Referee: Wayne Barnes (187th Premiership game)
ARs: Hamish Smales & Wayne Falla
TMO: Stuart Terheege
Newcastle Falcons v Saracens (played in Philadelphia)
Referee: JP Doyle (135th Premiership game)
ARs: Dean Richards & Paul Burton
TMO: David Sainsbury
Worcester Warriors v Exeter Chiefs
Referee: Ian Tempest (33rd Premiership game)
ARs: Adam Leal & Philip Waters
TMO: Keith Lewis
Leicester Tigers v Gloucester Rugby
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys (37th Premiership game)
ARs: Nigel Carrick & John Meredith
TMO: Sean Davey
Wasps v Harlequins
Referee: Andrew Jackson (7th Premiership game)
ARs: Jack Makepeace & Paul Dix
TMO: David Rose
