It’s the final weekend of RWC warm-up matches and so the elite referees also have their final runs out before gathering in Tokyo. Outside of the internationals, it’s a big weekend for Marius van der Westhuizen in South Africa, and also for Rebecca Mahoney and Larissa Collingwood in New Zealand.
Mahoney (pic centre), the former Black Fern World cup winner, will become the first female referee to take the whistle in New Zealand’s premier domestic rugby competition/ She referees the Mitre 10 Cup match between Hawke’s Bay and Southland later today (Friday). Larissa Collingwood makes her refereeing debut in the Farah Palmer Cup game this weekend in Wellington.
In France, Vivien Praderie (pic on right) will make his Top 14 debut as Montpellier take on La Rochelle.
Enjoy your rugby this weekend!
International RWC warm-up matches
Japan v South Africa
Referee: Nic Berry (Aus)
ARs: Mike Fraser (NZ) & Graham Cooper (Aus)
TMO: Shane McDermott (NZ)
Scotland v Georgia
Referee: Romain Poite (Fra)
ARs: Andrew Brace (Ire) & Karl Dickson (Eng)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (Eng)
England v Italy (in Newcastle)
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZL)
ARs: Jérôme Garcès (Fra) & Frank Murphy (Ire)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ire)
Canada v USA
Referee: Alex Ruiz (Fra)
ARs: Mike Adamson (Sco) & Sean Gallagher (Ire)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ire)
New Zealand v Tonga
Referee: Angus Gardner (Aus)
ARs: Damon Murphy (Aus) & Jordan Way (Aus)
TMO: James Leckie (Aus)
Ireland v Wales
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (Fra)
ARs: Wayne Barnes (Eng) & Luke Pearce (Eng)
TMO: Graham Hughes (Eng)
Australia v Samoa
Referee: Paul Williams (NZ)
ARs: Brendon Pickerill (NZ) & Cam Stone (NZ)
TMO: Ben Skeen (NZ)
Australia – National Rugby Championship
Fiji Druas v Western Force
Referee: Aaron Pook
ARs: Kaveni Talemaivalagi & David Vosalevu
Melbourne Rising v NSW Country Eagles
Referee: Matthew Kellahan
ARs: Richard Manchee & Shannon Mclachlan
TMO: Shane Barr
Brisbane City v Sydney
Referee: Reuben Keane
ARs: Nathan Welsh & James Palmer
Queensland Country v Canberra Vikings
Referee: Brett Cronan
ARs: Andrew Twist & Nicholas Leask
France – Top 14
Castres v Bordeaux-Bègles
Referee: Laurent Cardona
ARs: Sébastien Minery & Bruno Gabaldon
TMO: Cédric Lafon
Toulon v Lyons
Referee: Pierre Brousset
ARs: Benoît Rousselet & Christophe Gaillardon
TMO: Patrick Dellac
Pau v Agen
Referee: Pascal Gaüzère
ARs: Adrien Marbot & Richard Duhau
TMO: Mourad Zitouni
Montpellier v La Rochelle
Referee: Vivien Praderie
ARs: Stéphane Boyer & Mourad Gharbi Tarchouna
TMO: Akim Hadj Bachir
Stade Français v Bayonne
Referee: Cédric Marchat
ARs: Patrick Nuchy & Jacques De Lemos
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure
Brive v Clermont
Referee: Jonathan Dufort
ARs: Thomas Charabas & Thierry Devais
TMO: Jean-Luc Rebollal
Toulouse v Racing 92
Referee: Ludovic Cayre
ARs: Maxime Chalon & Jean-Claude Labarbe
TMO: Éric Gonthier
Currie Cup Final
Toyota Free State v Xerox Golden Lions
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
ARs: AJ Jacobs and Egon Seconds
TMO: Shaun Veldsman
Currie Cup promotion / relegation match:
Phakisa Pumas v Down Touch Griffons
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
ARs: Stephan Geldenhuys & Jaco Pretorius
TMO: Johan Greeff
SA Rugby U21 final
Vodacom Blue Bulls v DHL Western Province
Referee: Paul Mente
Assistant referees: Ben Crouse & Griffin Colby
TMO: Shaun Veldsman
Women’s Interprovincial finals
A Section Final: Western Province v Border
Referee: Maria Mabote
B Section Final: Golden Lions v SWD
Referee: Bulela Qwane
New Zealand – Mitre 10 Cup – Week 5
Manawatu v Northland – Referee: Glen Jackson
Hawke’s Bay v Southland – Referee: Rebecca Mahoney
Counties Manukau v Tasman – Referee: Mike Winter
North Harbour v Waikato – Referee: James Doleman
Bay of Plenty v Wellington – Referee: Tim Griffiths
Auckland v Canterbury – Referee: Nick Hogan
Otago v Taranaki – Referee: Nick Briant
Heartland Championship – week 3
Buller v Wanganui – Referee: Nick Webster
Poverty Bay v North Otago – Referee: Hugh Reed
South Canterbury v Horowhenua Kapiti – Referee: Jono Bredin
Thames Valley v East Coast – Referee: Angus Mabey
Wairarapa Bush v King Country – Referee: Tipene Cottrell
West Coast v Mid Canterbury – Referee: James Munro
Farah Palmer Cup – Week 2
Counties Manukau Heat v Manawatu Cyclones – Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr
Wellington v Bay of Plenty – Referee: Larissa Collingwood
Hawke’s Bay Tui v Northland – Referee: Dan Waenga
Tasman Mako v North Harbour Hibiscus – Referee: Monique Dalley
Auckland Storm v Canterbury – Referee: Lauren Jenner
Otago Spirit v Taranaki Whio – Referee: Stu Curran
