The South Africans are back in PRO14 play after their festive break. They’ll be in for some weather shocks as the South Kings land in wintery Edinburgh (overseen by Lloyd Linton) and the Toyota Cheetahs head to the Italian northlands of Treviso (with Ireland’s Frank Murphy in charge).
In France, it’s top v bottom in the Top 14. The Midi-Pyrenees official, 38 yr old Cédric Marchat (pictured) will be in Oyonnax as they host leaders La Rochelle. Elsewhere, one of the 2017-18 season new referees, Jonathan Dufort will be in Bordeaux as they face Lyon.
In England, Karl Dickson picks up his third Aviva Premiership match of the season, heading to Welford Road to referee Leicester’s match against the bottom side London Irish.
Guinness PRO14 – Round 13
Edinburgh v Southern Kings
Referee: Lloyd Linton (SRU, 17th competition game)
ARs: Mike Adamson (SRU) & Sam Grove-White (SRU)
TMO: Neil Paterson (SRU)
Scarlets v Dragons
Referee: Marius Mitrea (FIR, 75th competition game)
ARs: Andrea Piardi (FIR) & Wayne Davies (WRU)
TMO: Alan Falzone (FIR)
Benetton Rugby v Toyota Cheetahs
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU, 11th competition game)
ARs: Stuart Gaffikin (IRFU) & Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)
Leinster Rugby v Ulster Rugby
Referee: George Clancy (IRFU, 96th competition game)
ARs: Joy Neville (IRFU) & Shane Kierans (IRFU)
TMO: Peter Fitzgibbon (IRFU)
Munster Rugby v Connacht Rugby
Referee: David Wilkinson (IRFU, 56th competition game)
ARs: Sean Gallagher (IRFU) & Nigel Correll (IRFU)
TMO: Kevin Beggs (IRFU).
Ospreys v Cardiff Blues
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU, 160th competition game)
ARs: Dan Jones (WRU) & Adam Jones (WRU)
TMO: Jon Mason (WRU)
Aviva Premiership, Round 13
Worcester Warriors v Bath
Referee: JP Doyle (144th Premiership game)
ARs: Anthony Woodthorpe, Paul Dix
TMO: Trevor Fisher
Leicester Tigers v London Irish
Referee: Karl Dickson (3rd Premiership game)
ARs: Peter Allan, Roy Maybank
TMO: Rowan Kitt
Northampton Saints v Gloucester
Referee: Ian Tempest (40th Premiership game)
ARs: Jack Makepeace, Wayne Falla
TMO: David Sainsbury
Sale Sharks v Harlequins
Referee: Matthew Carley (67th Premiership game)
ARs: Matthew O’Grady, Tim Wigglesworth
TMO: Keith Lewis
Newcastle Falcons v Exeter Chiefs
Referee: Andrew Jackson (12th Premiership game)
ARs: Hamish Smales, John Meredith
TMO: Stuart Terheege
Wasps v Saracens
Referee: Wayne Barnes (192nd Premiership game)
ARs: Adam Leal, Greg Macdonald
TMO: Sean Davey
Top 14 – Round 15
Bordeaux-Bègles v Lyon
Referee: Jonathan Dufort
ARs: Ludovic Cayre & Laurent Breil
TMO: Laurent Sclafer
Brive v Toulon
Referee: Pierre Brousset
ARs: Laurent Millotte & Jacques De Lemos
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure
Agen v Castres
Referee: Pascal Gaüzère
ARs: Thierry Mallet & Laurent Perrin
TMO: Éric Gonthier
Oyonnax v La Rochelle
Referee: Cédric Marchat (pictured above)
ARs: Adrien Descottes & Sébastien Hebert
TMO: Patrick Dellac
Montpellier v Stade Français
Referee: Julien Castaignède
ARs: Cyril Lafon & Thierry Guilloton
TMO: Éric Briquet Campin
Pau v Toulouse
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz
ARs: Maxime Chalon & Bruno Gabaldon
TMO: Mourad Zitouni
Racing 92 v Clermont
Referee: Romain Poite
ARs: Nicolas Datas & Éric Soulan
TMO: Denis Grenouillet