And so it begins! We’re just a few hours away from the start of Rugby World Cup 2019. The honour of kicking things off goes to 2015 final referee, Nigel Owens, who oversees the hosts’ Japan play Russia. With all the referees on duty this week – some more than once – there’ll be plenty of action for us to ruminate on I’m sure.
But world rugby aside, there’s also a batch of domestic rugby happening that sees referees start their season (in some cases) or continue them (in others). In England, the Premiership Cup kicks off in London as Harlequins take on Bristol – experiences official Ian Tempest takes charge. The Greene King Championship also begins this weekend. In Australia, there’s NRC action, and the triumvirate of tournaments in New Zealand continues as the Mitre 10 Cup, Heartland Championship and Farah Palmer Cup play out weeks 4-7.
Enjoy Rugby World Cup 2019, and let’s hope the refereeing isn’t what we’re talking about!
Rugby World Cup
Japan v Russia
Tokyo Stadium, 20 Sep 2019, 7.45pm
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
ARs: Nic Berry (Australia) & Matthew Carley (England)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
Australia v Fiji
Sapporo Dome, 21 Sep 2019,1.45pm
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
ARs: Luke Pearce (England) & Andrew Brace (Ireland)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)
France v Argentina
Tokyo Stadium, 21 Sep 2019, 4.15pm
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
ARs: Jaco Peyper (South Africa) & Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
New Zealand v South Africa
International Stadium, Yokohama, 21 Sep 2019, 6.45pm
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
ARs: Romain Poite (France) & Karl Dickson (England)
TMO: Graham Hughes (England)
Italy v Namibia
Hanazono Rugby Stadium, 22 Sep 2019, 2.15pm
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
ARs: Nigel Owens (Wales) & Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Ireland v Scotland
International Stadium, Yokohama, 22 Sep 2019, 4.45pm
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
ARs: Pascal Gauzere (France) & Alexandre Ruiz (France)
TMO: Graham Hughes (England)
England v Tonga
Sapporo Dome, 22 Sep 2019, 7.15pm
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
ARs: Mathieu Raynal (France) & Shuhei Kubo (Japan)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
Wales v Georgia
City of Toyota Stadium, 23 Sep 2019, 7.15pm
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
ARs: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand) & Matthew Carley (England)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)
Russia v Samoa
Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, 24 Sep 2019, 7.15pm
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
ARs: Jérôme Garcès (France) & Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
TMO: Graham Hughes (England)
Fiji v Uruguay
Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium. 25 Sep 2019, 2.15pm
Referee: Pascal Gauzere (France)
ARs: Angus Gardner (Australia) & Andrew Brace (Ireland)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Italy v Canada
Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium, 26 Sep 2019, 4.45pm
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
ARs: Wayne Barnes (England) & Karl Dickson (England)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)
England v USA
Kobe Misaki Stadium, 26 Sep 2019, 7.45pm
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
ARs: Paul Williams (New Zealand) & Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
England Premiership Cup
Harlequins v Bristol Bears
Referee: Ian Tempest
ARs: Paul Dix & Simon McConnell
TMO: Sean Davey
Wasps v Saracens
Referee: Jack Makepeace
ARs: John Meredith & Wayne Falla
Exeter Chiefs v Bath Rugby
Referee: Adam Leal
ARs: Paul Dix & Shane Lewis
TMO: David Rose
Gloucester Rugby v London Irish
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe
ARs: JP Doyle & Peter Allan
Sale Sharks v Northampton Saints
Referee: Andrew Jackson
ARs: Tim Wigglesworth & Steve Lee
Worcester Warriors v Leicester Tigers
Referee: Christophe Ridley
ARs: Rob Warburton & Lionel Spooner
Greene King Championship – Round 1
Nottingham v Yorkshire Carnegie
Referee: Hamish Smales
ARs: Ian Bibey & George Richardson
Doncaster Knights v Hartpury University
Referee: Neil Chivers
ARs: Simon Park & Gregg Dawson
Ampthill v Coventry
Referee: Michael Hudson
ARs: Gareth Holsgrove & Jamie Leahy
Bedford Blues v Ealing Trailfinders
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
ARs: Gregory Garner & Bill Burton
Jersey Reds v Newcastle Falcons
Referee: Matt Turvey
ARs: Nigel Carrick & Darryl Chapman
London Scottish v Cornish Pirates
Referee: Tom Foley
ARs: Clare Daniels & Michael Woods
New Zealand
Mitre Cup – week 7
Canterbury v Manawatu – Referee: Richard Kelly
Hawke’s Bay v Taranaki – Referee: Nick Hogan
Waikato v Tasman – Referee: Tipene Cottrell
Southland v Counties Manukau – Referee: Nick Webster
North Harbour v Otago – Referee: James Munro
Auckland v Wellington – Referee: James Doleman
Northland v Bay of Plenty – Referee: Cam Stone
Heartland Championship – week 5
Thames Valley v Wairarapa Bush – Referee: Hugh Reed
West Coast v North Otago – Referee: Jono Bredin
King Country v Horowhenua Kapiti – Referee: Vincent Ringrose
Poverty Bay v Mid Canterbury – Referee: Angus Mabey
South Canterbury v Buller Referee: Rebecca Mahoney
Wanganui v East Coast – Referee: Stu Curran
Farah Palmer Cup – round 4
Hawke’s Bay Tui v Taranaki Whio – Referee: Marcus Playle
Waikato v Bay of Plenty Volcanix – Referee: Brittany Andrew
Canterbury v Manawatu Cyclones – Referee: Dan Moore
Otago Spirit v Tasman Mako – Referee: Larissa Collingwood
Auckland Storm v Wellington Pride – Referee: Mike Winter
Northland v North Harbour – Referee: Lauren Jenner
Australia
National Rugby Championship, Round 4
Fijian Drua v Sydney
Referee: Jordan Way
ARs: Tevita Rokovereni & Atu Macedru
Western Force v Canberra Vikings
Referee: Aaron Pook,
ARs: Kyle Burnett & Mark Sherriff
Melbourne Rising v Queensland Country
Referee: James Quinn
ARs:James Palmer, & Charles Marshall
Brisbane City v NSW Country
Referee: Graham Cooper
ARs: Brett Cronan & Andrew Twist
