Outside of M. Garces’s run around in Cardiff this weekend, the Autumn internationals are over, and the offseason can begin in earnest for most of the Southern Hemisphere sides. The South African’s will have to wait a few days more.
In the desert in Dubai, the world’s 7s teams have gathered for the start of the World 7s series. Joy Neville will have packed her World Rugby Referee Award into her suitcase as she officiates the women’s tournament with some familiar faces back on the men’s circuit – Rasivenge, Evans, Kelly and co are joined by some new referees from around the world.
Focus turns back to the domestic scene in the North. Well, sort of North as, in the Pro14, Edinburgh head to the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium to take on the Southern Kings, overseen by Stuart Berry. Fellow South African, Quinton Immelman, will oversee the Toyota Cheetahs v Scarlets tie up.
In the Aviva Premiership, most of the referees are back in action after World Rugby duties – Matt Carley is in Worcester, Luke Pearce at Harlequins v Saracens, JP Doyle in Exeter, and Tom Foley (right) returns from Romania to referee the Wasps v Leicester Tigers match in Coventry.
International
Wales v South Africa
Referee: Jerome Garces (France)
ARs: Wayne Barnes (England) & Frank Murphy (Ireland)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)
Dubai 7s
Women’s tournament: Alhambra Nievas (Spain), Sara Cox (England), Adam Jones (WRU), Ben Crouse (South Africa), Joy Neville (Ireland), Hollie Davidson (SRU), Beatrice Benvenuti (Italy), Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa),
Men’s tournament: Richard Kelly (New Zealand), Damian Schneider (Argentina), Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Damon Murphy (ARU), Sam Grove-White (SRU), Craig Evans (Wales), Richard Haughton (England), Paulo Duarte (FPR), Mike O’Brien (USA)
Pro14 – Round 10
Southern Kings v Edinburgh
Referee: Stuart Berry (SARU, 6th competition game)
ARs: Cwengile Jadezweni (SARU) & Rodney Bonaparte (SARU)
TMO: Johan Greef (SARU)
Dragons v Ulster
Referee: Marius Mitrea (FIR, 73rd competition game)
ARs: Rhys Thomas (WRU) & Mike English (WRU)
TMO: Tim Hayes (WRU)
Glasgow Warriors v Cardiff Blues
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU, 157th competition game)
ARs: Lloyd Linton (SRU) & Keith Allen (SRU)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (SRU)
Benetton Rugby v Leinster Rugby
Referee: David Wilkinson (IRFU, 54th competition game)
ARs: Andrea Piardi (FIR) & Manuel Bottino (FIR)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)
Munster Rugby v Ospreys Rugby
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU, 39th competition game)
ARs: Ian Davies (WRU) & Simon Rees (WRU)
TMO: Sean Brickell (WRU)
Toyota Cheetahs v Scarlets
Referee: Quinton Immelman (SARU, 6th competition game)
ARs: Stephen Geldenhuys (SARU) & Jaco Kotze (SARU)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)
Zebre v Connacht Rugby
Referee: George Clancy (IRFU, 94th competition game)
ARs: Sean Gallagher (IRFU) & Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)
Aviva Premiership
Northampton Saints v Newcastle Falcons
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys (42nd Premiership game)
ARs: Christophe Ridley & Simon McConnell
TMO: David Grashoff
Worcester Warriors v Sale Sharks
Referee: Matthew Carley (65th Premiership game)
ARs: Paul Burton & Jonathan Healy
TMO: Graham Hughes
Exeter Chiefs v Bath Rugby
Referee: JP Doyle (142nd Premiership game)
ARs: Anthony Woodthorpe & Peter Allan
TMO: Claire Hodnett
Gloucester Rugby v London Irish
Referee: Ian Tempest (38th Premiership game)
ARs: Jack Makepeace & Philip Watters
TMO: Sean Davey
Wasps v Leicester Tigers
Referee: Thomas Foley (44th Premiership game)
ARs: Adam Leal & Paul Dix
TMO: David Sainsbury
Harlequins v Saracens
Referee: Luke Pearce (68th Premiership game)
ARs: Hamish Smales & Roy Maybank
TMO: Keith Lewis
RFU Greene King Championship
Nottingham vs Jersey Reds
Referee: Andrew Jackson
ARs: Ian Bibey & Chris Sharp
Doncaster Knights vs Bristol
Referee: Matthew O’Grady
ARs: William Burton & Wayne Falla
Hartpury College vs Ealing Trailfinders
Referee: Christophe Ridley
ARs: Darryl Chapman & Greg Garner
Cornish Pirates vs Bedford Blues
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe
ARs: Michael Patz & Ian Bibey
Yorkshire Carnegie vs Rotherham Titans
Referee: Dean Richards
ARs: Nick Marshall & Brian Ravenhill
London Scottish vs Richmond
Referee: Karl Dickson
ARs: Lionel Spooner & Michael Hudson
TMO: Trevor Fisher
If the Scotland vs New Zealand game was anything to go by, the man to watch in the lead up to the World Cup, is Matt Carley. That had to be one of the best Refereeing performances that I have seen all year.
We agree – we doing a “2018 Referees to watch” list – who else would you have on it?
J
Sorry about the first comment. Do you know how world rugby selects the referees and how do they agree to sign them to each match especially in the six nations.
I’d have Angus Gardner on the watch list as well