After a quiet first round of Rugby Championship matches last weekend, this week sees English rugby referee Wayne Barnes take over the whistle in Australia, and Gus Gardner heading to Mendoza as the Pumas take on the Springboks. Let’s hope the controversy stays away.
In South Africa, Aimee Barrett-Theron (right) becomes the first female referee to be appointed to a Currie Cup match. She will look after the first division match on the south coast, when the South Western Districts Eagles meet the Leopards.
In France, the new Top 14 season gets underway with some familiar referees in the mix. Romain Poite referees the Toulon v Racing 92 match, with Montpellier v Castres being overseen by his World Rugby colleague Mathieu Raynal. They will both be on Rugby Championship duty later in September.
The 2018 Rugby Championship
New Zealand v Australia
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
ARs: Jaco Peyper (South Africa) & Luke Pearce (England)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Argentina v South Africa
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
ARs: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand) & Andrew Brace (Ireland)
TMO: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
France Top 14, Round 1
Perpignan v Stade Français
Referee: Laurent Cardona
ARs: Thomas Charabas & Richard Duhau
TMO: Denis Grenouillet
Bordeaux-Bègles v Pau
Referee: Pierre Brousset
ARs: Ludovic Cayre & A Blondel
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure
Lyon v Toulouse
Referee: tba
La Rochelle v Grenoble
Referee: Jonathan Dufort
ARs: Julien Castaignède & Jean-Luc Rebollal
TMO: Bruno Bessot
Clermont v Agen
Referee: Maxime Chalon
ARs: Vincent Blasco Baque & Laurent Breil
TMO: Éric Gauzins
Toulon v Racing 92
Referee: Romain Poite
ARs: Cyrille Lafon & Bruno Gabaldon
TMO: Laurent Sclafer
Montpellier v Castres
Referee: Mathieu Raynal
ARs: Adrien Descottes & Jean-Claude Labarbe
TMO: Mourad Zitouni
South Africa – Currie Cup
Premier Division, Round 2
Golden Lions v Griquas
Referee: Egon Seconds
ARs: Ben Crouse & Christopher Allison
TMO: Lesego Legoete
Sharks v Blue Bulls
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
ARs: Archie Sehlako & Vusi Msibi
TMO: Christie du Preez
Western Province v Free State Cheetahs
Referee: AJ Jacobs
ARs: Cwengile Jadezweni & Nathan Swartz
TMO: Shaun Veldsman
1st Division
South Western Districts Eagles v Leopards – Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron
Boland Cavaliers v Eastern Province Elephants – Referee: Graham Cooper (Australia)
Valke v Border Bulldogs – Referee: Ben Crouse
Welwitschias v Griffons – Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys
