With the autumn international window concluded, World Rugby has turned its attention to 2018, announcing the match officials for the NatWest 6 Nations and Rugby World Cup 2019 qualifiers between Canada and Uruguay.
A team of 11 referees, seven other assistant referees and seven TMOs will take charge of the 15, Nat West 6 Nations matches. With four French officials taking the whistle, nearly 40% of the matches will be overseen by referees from that nation, with Pascal Gauzere taking charge of the opener between Wales and Scotland at the Principality Stadium on 3 February 2018.
With an eye on Japan 2019, the team has a blend of experience and emerging talent. The experienced figures of Nigel Owens (Wal), Wayne Barnes (Eng) and Jerome Garces (Fra) both get two fixtures each, as does M Gauzere. The less experienced officials – Marius van der Westhuizen (SA), Matthew Carley (Eng), Luke Pearce (Eng), Andrew Brace (Ire), Paul Williams (NZ) and Nic Berry (Aus), who were tested in the Autumn internationals – all play a part next year as assistant referees.
The other referees taking the whistle are John Lacey (Ire), Ben O’Keeffe (NZ), Angus Gardner (Aus), Mathieu Raynal (Fra), Romain Poite (Fra), Glen Jackson (NZ), and Jaco Peyper (SA).
World Rugby Match Officials Selection Committee Chairman Anthony Buchanan, pictured left, said, “Our mission is to reach Rugby World Cup 2019 with the best-possible team of in-form, in-peak physical condition match officials with a proven record of making clear, consistent and accurate decisions in the biggest international fixtures and competitions, including the 6 Nations.”
“This selection is a reflection of form following a busy November window which gave us the opportunity to test the next generation of international match officials alongside the experienced campaigners. Overall, the selectors were pleased with progress against our objectives as we continue to build towards Japan 2019.”
World Rugby say that the selection system allows for movement in and out of the panel based on form and rewards the top performers and young referees who have graduated through the performance pathway. Every performance is closely scrutinised and reviewed to ensure accountability. In addition, there is regular consultation with coaches with their feedback helping to inform selection decisions. The name to drop out of next year’s match officials pool is the RFU’s JP Doyle who officiated in the last Rugby World Cup in 2015.
In addition to the 6 Nations appointments, there are a few decisive Rugby World Cup 2019 qualification matches to be refereed too. Canada and Uruguay will fight it out over two legs to determine the Americas 2 place in Japan. The first leg in Vancouver on 27 January will be refereed by Ireland’s Andrew Brace and England’s Luke Pearce will take charge of the second leg, a week later in Montevideo.
Nat West 6 Nations
Wales v Scotland
Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
3 Feb 2018 2.15pm (all kick-off times shown are local times)
Referee: Pascal Gauzere (France)
AR1: Romain Poite (France)
AR2: Matthew Carley (England)
TMO: David Grashoff (England)
France v Ireland
Stade de France, Paris, France
3 Feb 2018 4.45pm
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
AR1: Wayne Barnes (England)
AR2: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)
Italy v England
Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy
4 Feb 2018, 4.00pm
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
AR1: Jérôme Garcès (France)
AR2: Nic Berry (Australia)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)
Ireland v Italy
Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland
10 Feb 2018, 2.15pm
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
AR1: Pascal Gauzere (France)
AR2: Matthew Carley (England)
TMO: David Grashoff (England)
England v Wales
Twickenham Stadium, England
10 Feb 2018, 4.45pm
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
AR1: Mathieu Raynal (France)
AR2: Nic Berry (Australia)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)
Scotland v France
BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland
11 Feb 2018 – 3.00pm
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
AR1: Nigel Owens (Wales)
AR2: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)
France v Italy
Orange Vélodrome, Marseille, France
23 Feb 2018, 9.00pm
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
AR1: John Lacey (Ireland)
AR2: Luke Pearce (England)
TMO: David Grashoff (England)
Ireland v Wales
Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland
24 Feb 2018, 2.15pm
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
AR1: Pascal Gauzere (France)
AR2: Matthew Carley (England)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)
Scotland v England
BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland
24 Feb 2018, 4.45pm
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
AR1: Jérôme Garcès (France)
AR2: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
TMO: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Ireland v Scotland
Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland
10 Mar 2018, 2.15pm
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
AR1: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zelaand)
AR2: Luke Pearce (England)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)
France v England
Stade de France, Paris, France
10 Mar 2018, 5.45pm
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
AR1: Angus Gardner (Australia)
AR2: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
Wales v Italy
Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
11 Mar 2018, 3.00pm
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
AR1: Pascal Gauzere (France)
AR2: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Italy v Scotland
Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy
17 Mar 2018, 1.30pm
Referee: Pascal Gauzere (France)
AR1: Jérôme Garcès (France)
AR2: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
England v Ireland
Twickenham Stadium, England
17 Mar 2018, 2.45pm
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
AR1: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
AR2: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
Wales v France
Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
17 Mar 2018, 5.00pm
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zelaand)
AR1: Wayne Barnes (England)
AR2: Luke Pearce (England)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)
Again not even one Scottish Official in sight. The only nation to be neglected continually. Referees really are not that bad up here…or are other influences being taken on board.
It takes a while to bring them through – Mike Adamson has only been refereeing a few years and is do not really well in the 7s circuit, Pro14 and European matches so we’re sure will step up sooner or later. The work Dave Pearson and Tappe Henning are doing will bear fruit!
Irish carve up