Another Rugby World Cup week down, as the pool matches head to the half way point. The next seven days sees some big matches – with England v Argentina jumping out. Nigel Owens will be the referee for that one, now supported by Ben O’Keeffe and Andrew Brace. Apparently travel & logistics make an AR swap necessary, and has nothing at all to do with the Argentinians ongoing issues with Gus Gardner’s refereeing of their match with France.
That aside, we see a new name in the Pro14 appointments, as Rasta Rasivhenge taking a few weeks in the North to fill the pre-Super Rugby break. He’ll be in Connacht as they play the Italians from Treviso.
In England, the Premiership Cup continues as their top teams build up towards the main league starting in a few weeks. JP Doyle has control of his first top level match of the season as Worcester host Exeter.
Good luck wherever you’re refereeing or watching this weekend
Rugby World Cup 2019
South Africa v Italy
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
ARs: Romain Poite (France) & Alexandre Ruiz (France)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)
Australia v Uruguay
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
ARs: Jérôme Garcès (France) & Karl Dickson (England)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
England v Argentina
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
ARs: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand) & Andrew Brace (Ireland)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Japan v Samoa
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
ARs: Angus Gardner (Australia) & Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
TMO: Graham Hughes (England)
New Zealand v Namibia
Referee: Pascal Gauzere (France)
ARs: Luke Pearce (England) & Shuhei Kubo (Japan)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)
France v Tonga
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
ARs: Paul Williams (New Zealand) & Matthew Carley (England)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
South Africa v Canada
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
ARs: Angus Gardner (Australia) & Andrew Brace (Ireland)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)
Argentina v USA
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
ARs: Jaco Peyper (South Africa) & Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
TMO: Graham Hughes (England)
Scotland v Russia
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
ARs: Wayne Barnes (England) & Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Wales v Fiji
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
ARs: Romain Poite (France) & Karl Dickson (England)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
World Rugby Sevens Series – Glendale, USA – Women’s
Referees: Adam Jones (Wales), Amy Perrett (Australia), Emily Hsieh (USA), Hollie Davidson (Scotland), Madeline Putz (Australia), Sara Cox (England) and Julianne Zussmann (Canada)
Pro14 – Round 2
Leinster Rugby v Ospreys Rugby
Referee: Stuart Berry (SARU, 25th Championship appearance)
ARs: Stuart Gaffigan (IRFU) & Mark Patton (IRFU)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)
Glasgow Warriors v Scarlets
Referee: George Clancy (IRFU, 116th Championship appearance)
ARs: Ben Blain (SRU) & Chris Busby (IRFU)
TMO: Simon MacDowell (IRFU)
Isuzu Southern Kings v Munster Rugby
Referee: Dan Jones (WRU, 26th Championship appearance)
ARs: Mike Adamson (SRU) & Paul Mente (SARU)
TMO: Christie Du Preez (SARU)
Zebre Rugby Club v Dragons
Referee: Sean Gallagher (IRFU, 15th Championship appearance)
ARs: Andrea Piardi (FIR) & Johnny Erskine (IRFU)
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)
Toyota Cheetahs v Ulster Rugby
Referee: Ian Davies (WRU, 77th Championship appearance)
AR1: Craig Evans (WRU) & Griffin Colby (SARU)
TMO: Johan Greeff (SARU)
Cardiff Blues v Edinburgh
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU, 25th Championship appearance)
ARs: Ben Whitehouse (WRU) & Rob O’Sullivan (IRFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)
Connacht Rugby v Benetton Rugby
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge (SARU, 1st Championship appearance)
ARs: Sam Grove-White (SRU) & Ian Kenny (SRU)
TMO: Charles Samson (SRU)
Premiership Cup – Round 3
Worcester Warriors v Exeter Chiefs
Referee: JP Doyle
ARs: Anthony Woodthorpe & Paul Dix
TMO: Keith Lewis
Citing Commissioner: Grant Seely
Bath v Leicester Tigers
Referee: Andrew Jackson
ARs: Simon McConnell & Roy Maybank
Citing Commissioner: John Byett
Harlequins v Gloucester
Referee: Fergus Kirby
ARs: Gareth Holsgrove & Rob Warburton
Citing Commissioner: Paul Burke
Sale Sharks v Wasps
Referee: Adam Leal
ARs: Philip Watters & Gary Welsh
Citing Commissioner: Danae Zamboulis
Bristol Bears v London Irish
Referee: Michael Hudson
ARs: Jonathan Healy & Lionel Spooner
Citing Commissioner: David Guyan
Northampton Saints v Saracens
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
ARs: Adam Leal & Philip Watters
TMO: Claire Hodnett
Citing Commissioner: Will James
Greene King RFU Championship
Coventry v Ealing Trailfinders
Referee: Hamish Smales
ARs: Simon Adams & Peter Allan
London Scottish v Yorkshire Carnegie
Referee: George Selwood
ARs: Bill Burton & Nigel Carrick
Nottingham v Cornish Pirates
Referee: Matthew Turvey
ARs: Tim Wigglesworth & Greg Garner
Hartpury University v Newcastle Falcons
Referee: Ian Tempest
ARs: Ian Bibey & Peter Brunt
Doncaster Knights v Jersey Reds
Referee: Jack Makepeace
ARs: John Meredith & Gregg Dawson
Bedford Blues v Ampthill
Referee: Simon Harding
ARs: Jamie Leahy & Shane Lewis
Tyrrell’s Premier 15s
Wasps FC Ladies v Darlington Mowden Park Sharks
Referee: Laura Pettingale
Loughborough Lightning v Saracens Women
Referee: Richard Haughton
Firwood Waterloo Ladies v Bristol Bears Women
Referee: Chris Bloomfield
Richmond FC v Worcester Warriors Women
Referee: Hamish Grant
Harlequins Women v Gloucester-Hartpury Women’s RFC
Referee: Alan Chandrachud
Scotland – Tennent’s Premiership
Currie Chieftains v Edinburgh Academical
Ref: David SUTHERLAND
ARs: Ross MABON & Bob NEVINS
GHA v Glasgow Hawks
Ref: Ben BLAIN
ARs: Lee FISH & Alistair WATT
Hawick v Marr
Ref: Keith ALLEN
ARs: Ruairidh CAMPBELL & Brian MCGUFF
Musselburgh v Aberdeen Grammar Rugby
Ref: Finlay BROWN
ARs: Stuart WRIGHT & Willie ANDERSON
Selkirk v Jed Forest
Ref: Graeme ORMISTON
ARs: Calum LAZENBY & David CHANGLENG
Tennent’s Womens Premier League
Hillhead Jordanhill WRFC v Ayr WRFC
Ref: Ciaran STARK
ARs: Calum LAZENBY & Allan PARRY
Stirling County WRFC v Cartha Queens Park WRFC
Ref: Scott CUBITT
ARs: Stephen GREENHILL & Rebecca WHEATER
Watsonians WRFC v Corstorphine Cougars WRFC
Ref: Johnathan COCKAYNE
ARs: Stuart WRIGHT & Walter GAFFNEY
New Zealand – Mitre 10 Cup – Week 9
Counties Manukau v Hawke’s Bay – Referee: Mike Winter
North Harbour v Wellington – Referee: Tipene Cottrell
Bay of Plenty v Manawatu – Referee: Dan Waenga
Auckland v Southland – Referee: Tim Griffiths
Otago v Canterbury – Referee: Glen Jackson
Tasman v Northland – Referee: Hugh Reed
Waikato v Taranaki – Referee: James Munro
Heartland Championship – Week 7
Thames Valley v South Canterbury – Referee: Damien McPherson
Wairarapa Bush v Horowhenua Kapiti – Referee: Richard Gordon
Wanganui v King Country – Referee: Vincent Ringrose
West Coast v Buller – Referee: Marcus Playle
North Otago v Mid Canterbury – Referee: Chris Paul
Poverty Bay v East Coast – Referee: Angus Mabey
Farah Palmer Cup – Week 6
North Harbour Hibiscus v Taranaki Whio – Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr
Hawke’s Bay Tui v Otago Spirit – Referee: George Haswell
Bay of Plenty Volcanix v Manawatu Cyclones – Referee: Lara West
Northland Kauri v Tasman Mako – Referee: Lauren Jenner
Auckland Storm v Counties Manukau Heat – Referee: Tyler Miller
Waikato v Canterbury – Referee: Rebecca Mahoney
Australia – National Rugby Championship
Canberra Vikings v Sydney
Referee: Brett Cronan
ARs: Graham Cooper & Reuben Keane
TMO: James Hagan
Melbourne Rising v Fijian Drua
Referee: Jordan Way
ARs: Oliver Kellett & Shannon Mclachlan
Queensland Country v NSW Country Eagles
Referee: Damon Murphy
ARs: Aaron Pook & Nicholas Leask
Force v Brisbane City
Referee: James Quinn
ARs: Mark Sherriff & Kyle Burnett
France – Top 14, round 6
Clermont v Montpellier
Referee: Maxime Chalon
ARs: Jonathan Gasnier & Christophe Gaillardon
TMO: Ludovic Sclafer
Brive v Toulouse
Referee: Laurent Cardona
ARs: Julien Castaignède & Thierry Devais
TMO: Éric Gonthier
Castres Olympique v Stade Français
Referee: Vivien Praderie
ARs: Pierre Brousset & Bruno Gabaldon
TMO: Benoît Bessot
Agen v Bayonne at Stade Armandie
Referee: Adrien Descottes
ARs: Vincent Blasco Baqué & Sylvain Jaymes
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure
LOU Rugby v Bordeaux-Bègles
Referee: Ludovic Cayre
ARs: Stéphane Boyer & Frédéric Chazal
TMO: Akim Hadj Bachir
Pau v Racing 92
Referee: Tual Trainini
ARs: Pierre-Baptiste Nuchy & Mourad Gharbi Tarchouna
TMO: Cyril Lafon
Toulon v La Rochelle
Referee: Sébastien Minery
ARs: Cédric Marchat & Jean-Claude Labarbe
TMO: Denis Grenouillet