Things are beginning to pick up steam ahead of a busy summer/autumn, and the referees, ARs and TMOs are back on their travels to officiate the matches. The French are out in force this weekend, with Jerome Garces and Romain Poite overseeing the Rugby Championship matches in Australia and Argentina respectively, and Mathieu Raynal has the warm-up match at Twickenham as Wales are hosted by England. Hollie Davidson from Scotland is in Australia to referee the Wallaroos v the Black Ferns. Luke Pearce looks after Ireland’s mens team as they warm up against Italy.
Elsewhere, there’s women’s internationals in Australia and South Africa, and the men’s Pacific Nations Cup reaches its conclusion. USA take on Japan to see who wins that one, with New Zealander Glen Jackson refereeing what looks like it will be his final international appointment.
Speaking of New Zealand, it’s the start of the Mitre 10 competition (with some guest referees from Ireland and Wales) and in South Africa, the Currie Cup continues.
The Rugby Championship
Australia v New Zealand
Referee: Jerome Garces (FFR)
ARs: Jaco Peyper (SARU) & Shuhei Kubo (JRFU)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)
Argentina v South Africa
Referee: Romain Poite (FFR)
ARs: Matthew Carley (RFU) & Karl Dickson (RFU)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (RFU)
Women’s International
Australia v New Zealand
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Sco)
ARs: Amy Perrett (Aus) & Amber Mclachlan (Aus)
TMO: James Leckie (Aus)
Pacific Nations Cup
Tonga v Canada (in Fiji)
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU)
ARs: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR) & Tevita Rokovereni (FRU)
USA v Japan (in Fiji)
Referee: Glen Jackson (NZR)
ARs: Nigel Owens (WRU) & Tevita Rokovereni (FRU)
Fiji v Samoa
Referee: Brendon Pickerill (NZR)
ARs: Damon Murphy (AUS) & Jordan Way (AUS)
Women’s Rugby World Cup – Africa qualifiers
Madagascar v Kenya
Referee: Saudah Adiru (Uganda)
South Africa v Uganda
Referee: Precious Pazani (Zimbabwe)
RWC Warm-Up
Ireland v Italy
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
ARs: Tom Foley (RFU) & Mike Adamson (SRU)
TMO: Graham Hughes (RFU)
England v Wales
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
ARs: Pascal Gauzere (FFR) & Alex Ruiz (FFR)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)
Mitre 10 Cup – Round 1
Southland v Northland
Referee: Nick Webster
ARs: Jaydyn Watson & Taylor Swan
TMO: Kirk Rae
Auckland v North Harbour
Referee: Paul Williams
ARs: Angus Mabey & Marcus Playle
TMO: Ben Deakin
Tasman v Wellington
Referee: James Doleman
ARs: Tom Holohan & Mike Lash
TMO: Corey Eggers
Counties Manukau v Taranaki
Referee: Angus Mabey
ARs: Antony Petrie & Brandon Roberts
TMO: John Wright
Waikato v Canterbury
Referee: Dan Jones (Wales)
ARs: Frank Murphy (Ireland) & Michael Winter
TMO: Lee Jeffrey
Bay of Plenty v Otago
Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
ARs: Dan Jones (Wales) & Sam Fellows
TMO: Shane McDermott
Manawatu v Hawke’s Bay
Referee: Cam Stone
ARs: Tim Griffiths & Brittany Andrew
TMO: Carl Baker
Currie Cup – Premier Division
Western Province v Pumas
Referee: AJ Jacobs
ARs: Paul Mente & Aimee Barrett-Theron
TMO: Joey Klaaste-Salmans
Sharks v Free State Cheetahs
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
ARs: Griffin Colby & Archie Sehlako
TMO: Christie du Preez
Golden Lions v Blue Bulls
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
ARs: Jaco Pretorius & Jaco Kotze
TMO: Lesego Legoete
Currie Cup – First Division
South Western Districts Eagles v Eastern Province
Referee: Egon Seconds
Valke v Argentina XV
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
Leopards v Boland Cavaliers
Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys
Griffons v Border
Referee: Quinton Immelman