It’s European Cup semi-finals weekend with the RFU’s JP Doyle and the French Federation’s Romain Poite picking up the big two referee appointments. Poite will referee his 87th European fixture when he heads to Dublin to oversee Leinster and the Scarlets. JP Doyle of the RFU takes charge of the Racing 92 v Munster Rugby clash in Bordeaux, in what will be his 47th appointment. John Lacey and Pascal Gauzere take the spoils in the Challenge Cup semi finals.
After the Commonwealth Games 7s last week, the female athletes have headed north to continue their World 7s series in Japan, with a mixture of male and female match officials.
In the South, it’s Super Rugby week 10, with Marius van der Westhuizen kicking things off in Aukland as the Blues play the Highlanders. Mike Fraser, Jaco Peyper, Ben O’Keeffe, Glen Jackson and Gus Gardner all get some game time.
Further down the pecking order, it’s also the semi-finals of the British & Irish Cup – a tournament that bloods the lower tiers of the games in a cross-border competition. Also a chance for the up and coming referees to shine, as England’s Christophe Ridley and Wales’ Ian Davies overseeing proceedings
Good luck everyone!
Women’s World Rugby Sevens Series – Kitakyusyu, Japan
Referees: Ben Crouse (South Africa), Hollie Davidson (Scotland), Adam Jones (Wales), Sakurako Kawasaki (Japan), Rose LaBrèche (Canada), Rebecca Mahoney (New Zealand), Joy Neville (Ireland), Alhambra Nievas (Spain)
European Cup Semi-finals
Champions Cup:
Leinster Rugby v Scarlets
Referee: Romain Poite (FRA)
ARs: Mathieu Raynal (FRA) & Alexandre Ruiz (FRA)
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure (FRA)
Racing Metro v Munster Rugby
Referee: JP Doyle (Eng)
ARs: Wayne Barnes (Eng) & Luke Pearce (Eng)
TMO: Graham Hughes (Eng)
Challenge Cup
Gloucester Rugby v Newcastle Falcons
Referee: Pascal Gauzere (FRA)
ARs: Jerome Garces (FRA) & Pierre Brousset (FRA)
TMO: Eric Briquet-Campin (FRA)
Cardiff Blues v Pau
Referee: John Lacey (IRE)
ARs: Andrew Brace (IRE) & Frank Murphy (IRE)
TMO: Simon McDowell (IRE)
Pro14 – round 17 rearranged
Ulster Rugby v Glasgow Warriors
Referee: Stuart Berry (SARU, 12th competition game)
ARs: Nigel Correll (IRFU) & Helen O’Reilly (IRFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)
Zebre Rugby v Ospreys Rugby
Referee: Lloyd Linton (SRU, 20th competition game)
ARs: Keith Allen (SRU) & Andrea Piardi (FIR)
TMO: Charles Samson (SRU)
Super Rugby, Round 10
Waratahs v Lions
Referee: Mike Fraser (NZ)
ARs: Damon Murphy (Aus), Graham Cooper (Aus)
TMO: George Ayoub (Aus)
Blues v Highlanders
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
ARs: Angus Mabey (NZ), Mike Lash (NZ)
TMO: Ben Skeen (NZ)
Crusaders v Sunwolves
Referee: Brendon Pickerill (NZ)
ARs: Jamie Nutbrown (NZ), Cam Stone (NZ)
TMO: Glenn Newman (NZ)
Sharks v Stormers
Referee: Glen Jackson (NZ)
ARs: Egon Seconds (SA), Cwengile Jadezweni (SA)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SA)
Bulls v Rebels
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ)
ARs: Rasta Rasivhenge (SA), AJ Jacobs (SA)
TMO: Willie Vos (SA)
Reds v Chiefs
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SA)
ARs: Nic Berry (Aus), Jordan Way (Aus)
TMO: Damien Mitchelmore (Aus)
Brumbies v Jaguares
Referee: Angus Gardner (Aus)
ARs: Nicholas Berry (Aus), Will Houston (Aus)
TMO: Ian Smith (Aus)
British & Irish Cup semi-finals
Jersey Reds v Leinster A
Referee: Ian Davies (WRU)
ARs: Gareth Newman (WRU) & Jason Bessant (WRU)
Ealing Trailfinders v Bedford Blues
Referee: Christophe Ridley (RFU)
ARs: Simon Harding (RFU) & Phil Watters (RFU)
Great to see the appointment of same country officials for each of the semi finals. Let us hope this concept will continue to be applied. Rugby is a team game and the team of officials should be treated the same.