It’s a mix of the experienced heads and the newbies across the referee appointments for this weekend.
In the Pro14, we have two referees making their competition debuts – JD Jadezweni (left) is on home turf as the Southern Kings play the Toyota Cheetahs, and in Italy, the RFU’s Tom Foley is on loan to the Celtic setup where he debuts as Benetton Rugby take on their Italian compatriots, Zebre. [Update: Foley has since been replaced by JP Doyle]
At the opposite end of the scale, Nigel Owens is on match 165, as Edinburgh play Glasgow and in the Aviva Premiership, the West Country derby will be officiated by Wayne Barnes. He notches up his 198th premiership match as Gloucester Rugby host Bath. French referee, Romain Poite (pictured) will be in Toulouse who La Rochelle
In the south, it’s Friday night lights in Wellington where Jamie Nutbrown has the whistle for the Hurricanes v Sunwolves match. Gus Gardner, Paul Williams, Glen Jackson, Ben O’Keeffe (pictured) and Jaco Peyper are also in Super Rugby action.
It’s the Women’s Premiership Final in England where RWC7s referee Sara Cox (pictured) will oversee proceedings.
Following the RWC7s referee panel announcement earlier in the week, some of them retain their 7s legs as the men’s series heads to Singapore.
Enjoy the April showers wherever you happen to be this weekend
World 7s – Singapore
Referees: James Doleman (NZ), Paulo Duarte (Portugal), Craig Evans (Wales), Sam Grove-White (Scotland), Nori Hashimoto (Japan), Mike O’Brien (USA), Matt Rodden (Hong Kong), Tevita Rokovereni (Fiji), Jérémy Rozier (France)
Super Rugby – Round 11
Hurricanes v Sunwolves
Referee: Jamie Nutbrown (NZ)
ARs: Mike Fraser (NZ) & Nick Briant (NZ)
TMO: Ben Skeen (NZ)
Stormers v Rebels
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ)
ARs: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA) & Rasta Rasivhenge (SA)
TMO: Christie du Preez (SA)
Reds v Lions
Referee: Angus Gardner (Aus)
ARs: Nic Berry (Aus) & Damon Murphy (Aus)
TMO: Damien Mitchelmore (Aus)
Blues v Jaguares
Referee: Paul Williams (NZ)
ARs: Brendon Pickerill (NZ) & Cam Stone (NZ)
TMO: Ben Skeen (NZ)
Brumbies v Crusaders
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SA)
ARs: Will Houston (Aus), Jordan Way (Aus)
TMO: George Ayoub (Aus)
Bulls v Highlanders
Referee: Glen Jackson (NZ)
ARs: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ), AJ Jacobs (SA)
TMO: Willie Vos (SA)
Aviva Premiership – Round 21
Leicester Tigers v Newcastle Falcons
Referee: Luke Pearce (75th Premiership game)
ARs: Tim Wigglesworth & Adam Leal
TMO: Stuart Terheege
Exeter Chiefs v Sale Sharks
Referee: Karl Dickson (6th Premiership game)
ARs: Dean Richards & Paul Dix
TMO: Keith Lewis
Gloucester Rugby v Bath Rugby
Referee: Wayne Barnes (198th Premiership game)
ARs: Peter Allan & Simon McConnell
TMO: Rowan Kitt
Worcester Warriors v Harlequins
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys (50th Premiership game)
ARs: Jack Makepeace & Paul Burton
TMO: David Grashoff
London Irish v Saracens
Referee: Ian Tempest (45th Premiership game)
ARs: Hamish Smales & Phil Watters
TMO: Davie Rose
Wasps v Northampton Saints
Referee: Matthew Carley (72nd Premiership game)
ARs: Anthony Woodthorpe & Greg Macdonald
TMO: David Sainsbury
RFU Greene King Championship
Nottingham v Bedford Blues
Referee: Neil Chivers
ARs: John Meredith & Gregory Garner
Nottingham v Rotherham Titans
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
ARs: Clare Daniels & Simon Park
Cornish Pirates v Ealing Trailfinders
Referee: Matthew O’Grady
ARs: Jonathan Healy & Bill Burton
Yorkshire Carnegie v London Scottish
Referee: Simon Harding
ARs: Gregory Garner & Chris Sharp
Bedford Blues v Richmond
Referee: Fergus Kirby
ARs: Darryl Chapman & Ian Bibey
Doncaster Knights v Jersey Reds
Referee: Hamish Smales
ARs: Matthew Daubney & Robert Warburton
Hartpury College v Bristol
Referee: Christophe Ridley
ARs: Michael Patz & Nick Marshall
Women’s Premiership Final
Saracens Women v Harlequins Ladies
Referee: Sara Cox
ARs: Clare Daniels, Sarah Toll
TMO: Graham Hughes
Top 14, Round 25
Toulon v Castres
Referee: Mathieu Raynal
ARs: Laurent Cardona & Frédéric Chazal
TMO: Laurent Sclafer
Agen v Clermont
Referee: Julien Castaignède
ARs: Sébastien Boyer & Jacques De Lemos
TMO: Éric Gauzins
Montpellier v Pau
Referee: Sébastien Minery
ARs: Tual Trainini & Jean-Luc Rebollal
TMO: Patrick Dellac
Oyonnax v Lyon
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz
ARs: Cédric Marchat & Arnaud Blondel
TMO: Denis Grenouillet
Stade Français v Brive
Referee: Jérôme Garcès
ARs: Jonathan Dufort & Bruno Gabaldon
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure
Bordeaux-Bègles v Racing 92
Referee: Ludovic Cayre
ARs: Hervé Lasausa Lespy Labaylette & Laurent Breil
TMO: Éric Gonthier
Toulouse v La Rochelle
Referee: Romain Poite
ARs: Adrien Descottes & Jean-Claude Labarbe
TMO: Mourad Zitouni
Pro14 – Round 21
Benetton Rugby v Zebre Rugby
Referee: JP Doyle (RFU)
ARs: Manuel Bottini (FIR) & Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
TMO: Sean Davey (RFU)
Cardiff Blues v Ospreys Rugby
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU, 14th competition game)
ARs: Dan Jones (WRU) & Shane Kierans (IRFU)
TMO: Neil Hennessey (WRU)
Connacht Rugby v Leinster Rugby
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU, 35th competition game)
ARs: Joy Neville (IRFU) & Kieran Barry (IRFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)
Dragons v Scarlets
Referee: Lloyd Linton (SRU, 21st competition game)
ARs: Adam Jones (WRU) & Gwyn Morris (WRU)
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)
Edinburgh Rugby v Glasgow Warriors
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU, 165th competition game)
ARs: Mike Adamson (SRU) & Dunx McClement (SRU)
TMO: Neil Paterson (SRU)
Munster Rugby v Ulster Rugby
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU, 46th competition game)
ARs: Aled Evans (WRU) & Simon Rees (WRU)
TMO: Sean Brickell (WRU)
Southern Kings v Toyota Cheetahs
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni (SARU, 1st competition game)
ARs: Quinton Immelman (SARU) & Rodney Bonaparte (SARU)
TMO: Johan Greeff (SARU)