At one end of the globe, it’s the start of a new series, but at the other, the season heads towards it’s climax. Whichever they’re involved in, the match officials must all be on their game. We have the World 7s Series starting for the women in Denver, and in New Zealand, South Africa and Australia, it’s mainly semi-final weekend, although the Farah Palmer Cup in NZ reaches it’s finale this weekend. Congratulations to Kiwi, Rebecca Mahoney (pictured) who referees that final.
In Europe, it’s weekend two of the Champions and Challenge Cups. Romain Poite will be hoping to make it all the way through his Friday night name in Leicester, after a slightly premature end to his game last week. He took a heavy bang to the back and head towards the end of Leinster v Wasps but has presumably passed all return to play concussion protocols. Vlad Iordachescu of Romania is back, refereeing in La Rochelle after his controversial summer, and we see Mike Adamson in action in Newcastle – the first Scottish referee at Champions Cup level for a good few years.
Good luck to everyone with a whistle this weekend, no matter what level or league you’re officiating in. The rugby community supports you! If you need a podcast to listen to on your journey, check out the Advantage Over series.
World 7s – Women’s Series, Denver
Referees: Beatrice Benvenuti (Italy), Sara Cox (England), Hollie Davidson (Scotland), Emily Hsieh (USA), Sakurako Kawasaki (Japan), Tyler Miller (Australia), Joy Neville (Ireland), Tevita Rokovereni (Fiji)
European Professional Club Rugby
Heineken Champions Cup & Round 2
Leicester Tigers v Scarlets
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
ARs: Vincent Blasco Baqué (France) & Stéphane Boyer (France)
TMO: Denis Grenouillet (France)
Munster v Gloucester
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz (France)
ARs: Maxime Chalon (France) & Luc Ramos (France)
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure (France)
Castres v Exeter Chiefs
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
ARs: Andrew Brace (Ireland) & Kieran Barry (Ireland)
TMO: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Edinburgh v Toulon
Referee: JP Doyle (England)
ARs: Ian Tempest (England) & Simon McConnell (England)
TMO: David Grashoff (England)
Wasps v Bath
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
ARs: Laurent Cardona (France) & Jean-Luc Rebollal (France)
TMO: Éric Briquet-Campin (France)
Saracens v Lyon
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
ARs: Stuart Gaffikin (Ireland) & Paul Haycock (Ireland)
TMO: Brian MacNeice ((Ireland)
Racing v Ulster
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
ARs: Dan Jones (Wales) & Wayne Davies (Wales)
TMO: Ian Davies (Wales)
Newcastle Falcons v Montpellier
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
ARs: Marius Mitrea (Italy) & Dave Sutherland (Scotland)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)
Toulouse v Leinster
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
ARs: Matthew O’Grady (England) & Paul Dix (England)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)
Cardiff Blues v Glasgow Warriors
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
ARs: Matthew Carley (England) & Jonathan Healy (England)
TMO: Graham Hughes (England)
European Challenge Cup – Round 2
Agen v Benetton
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
ARs: Adam Leal (England) & Peter Allan (England)
La Rochelle v Enisei-STM
Referee: Vlad Iordachescu (Romania)
ARs: Cristian Serban (Romania) & Madalin Girbau (Romania)
Dragons v Northampton Saints
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
ARs: Thomas Charabas (France) & Mathieu Noirot (France)
Pau v Stade Français
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys (England)
ARs: Hamish Smales (England) & Simon Harding (England)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (England)
Zebre v Bristol Bears
Referee: Ludovic Cayre (France)
ARs: Tual Trainini (France) & Nicolas Datas (France)
TMO: Éric Gauzins (France)
Worcester Warriors v Ospreys
Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)
ARs: Adrien Descottes (France) & Flavien Hourquet (France)
Clermont Auvergne v Timisoara Saracens
Referee: Ben Blain (Scotland)
ARs: Sam Grove-White (Scotland) & Duncan McClement (Scotland)
Sale Sharks v Connacht
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
ARs: Gwyn Morris (Wales) & Aled Evans (Wales)
Bordeaux-Bègles v Perpignan
Referee: Tom Foley (England)
ARs: Tim Wigglesworth (England) & John Meredith (England)
Grenoble v Harlequins
Referee: Sean Gallagher (Ireland)
ARs: Frank Murphy (Ireland & John Carvill (Ireland
)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland
National Rugby Championship – Australia
Fiji Druas v Canberra Vikings
Referee: Graham Cooper
ARs: James Quinn & Aisake Drekeni
TMO: Kaveni Talemaivalagi
Queensland Country v Western Force
Referee: Damon Murphy
ARs: Jordan Way & Aaron Pook
TMO: Shane Barr
Green King RFU Championship – England
Yorkshire Carnegie v London Scottish
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe
ARs: Jamie Leahy & Simon Park
Doncaster Knights v London Irish
Referee: Neil Chivers
ARs: Michael Patz & Gareth Holsgrove
Hartpury College v Jersey Reds
Referee: George Selwood
ARs: Philip Watters & Bill Burton
Ealing Trailfinders v Coventry
Referee: Dean Richards
ARs: Ian Bibey & Lionel Spooner
Richmond v Nottingham
Referee: Matt Turvey
ARs: Clare Daniels & Robert Warburton
Cornish Pirates v Bedford Blues
Referee: Michael Hudson
ARs: Peter Brunt & Shane Lewis
Mitre 10 Premiership Semifinals – New Zealand
Tasman v Canterbury – Referee: Mike Fraser
Auckland v Wellington – Referee: Brendon Pickerill
Heartland Championship Semifinals
Meads Cup
Wanganui v Thames Valley – Referee: Richard Kelly
South Canterbury v King Country – Referee: Nick Webster
Lochore Cup
Horowhenua Kapiti v Mid Canterbury – Referee: Cam Stone
Wairarapa Bush v North Otago – Referee: Hugh Reed
Farah Palmer Cup – Premiership Final
Canterbury v Counties Manukau
Referee: Rebecca Mahoney
ARs: Maggie Cogger-Orr & Monique Dalley
TMO: Lee Jeffrey
Farah Palmer – Championship Final
Wellington v Otago
Referee: Brittany Andrew
ARs: Lauren Jenner & Larissa Collingwood
Currie Cup Premier Semifinals – South Africa
Sharks Xerox v Golden Lions
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
ARs: AJ Jacobs & Jaco Pretorius
TMO: Christie du Preez
Western Province v Blue Bulls
Referee: Egon Seconds
ARs: Rasta Rasivhenge & Paul Mente
TMO: Willie Vos
