‘Twas the week before Christmas, when all through the north, Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. Well, apart from the dainty footsteps of the referee elves getting into festive position.
With the fixtures all worked out to keep everyone local it does mean the match officials are also kept a little closer to home. Dan Jones is in charge of the Ospreys v the Blues in the Pro14. In France, Maxime Chalon is the chap on the left our our pic this week. A relatively new name in the Top 14, he’s in charge of the Bordeaux v La Rochelle tie up. In England’s Gallagher Premiership, the most experienced official, Wayne Barnes will be singing the Coventry Carol as the city’s Wasps take on Harlequins.
Wherever you are this Christmas, enjoy yourselves and the time spent with your loved ones. We’ll be back next week with the post-Christmas appointments.
Yours in rugby
Keith
Pro14 – Round 8
Leinster Rugby v Ulster Rugby
Referee: George Clancy (IRFU, 120th Championship Appearance)
ARs: Frank Murphy (IRFU) & Kieran Barry (IRFU)
TMO: Simon McDowell (IRFU)
Zebre Rugby Club v Benetton Rugby
Referee: Marius Mitrea (FIR, 94th Championship Appearance)
ARs: Andrea Piardi (FIR) & Gianlucca Gnecchi (FIR)
TMO: Stefano Penne (FIR)
Connacht Rugby v Munster Rugby
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU, 49th Championship Appearance)
ARs: Sean Gallagher (IRFU) & Paul Haycock (IRFU)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)
Dragons v Scarlets
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU, 64th Championship Appearance)
ARs: Mike English (WRU) & Gareth John (WRU)
TMO: Ian Davies (WRU)
Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh Rugby
Referee: Ben Blain (SRU, 5th Championship Appearance)
ARs: Sam Grove-White (SRU) & Hollie Davidson (SRU)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (SRU)
Ospreys v Cardiff Blues
Referee: Dan Jones (WRU, 28th Championship Appearance)
ARs: Gareth Newman (WRU) & Chris Morgan (WRU)
TMO: Tim Hayes (WRU)
Top 14
Castres Olympique v Lyon
Referee: Jonathan Dufort
ARs: Julien Castaignède & Thierry Devais
TMO: Éric Briquet Campin
Racing 92 v Montpellier
Referee: Tual Trainini
ARs: Ludovic Cayre & Jean-Claude Labarbe
TMO: Cyril Lafon
Bayonne v Brive
Referee: Cédric Marchat
ARs: Laurent Cardona & Arnaud Blondel
TMO: Akim Hadj Bachir
Agen v Toulouse
Referee: Thomas Charabas
ARs: Adrien Marbot & Richard Duhau
TMO: Laurent Sclafer
Stade Français Paris v Pau
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz
ARs: Vivien Praderie & Frédéric Chazal
TMO: Patrick Dellac
Bordeaux-Bègles v La Rochelle
Referee: Maxime Chalon
ARs: Pascal Gaüzère Bruno Gabaldon
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure
Toulon v Clermont
Referee: Romain Poite
ARs: Adrien Descottes & Laurent Breil
TMO: Denis Grenouillet
Gallagher Premiership – Round 6
Gloucester Rugby v Worcester Warriors
Referee: Christophe Ridley (18th Premiership game)
ARs: Andrew Jackson & Greg Macdonald
TMO: Stuart Terheege
Citing Officer: Grant Seely
Leicester Tigers v Exeter Chiefs
Referee: Luke Pearce (93rd Premiership game)
ARs: Jack Makepeace & John Meredith
TMO: Rowan Kitt
Citing Officer: Will James
Sale Sharks v Northampton Saints
Referee: JP Doyle (175th Premiership game)
ARs: Anthony Woodthorpe & Wayne Falla
TMO: David Grashoff
Citing Officer: Shaun Gallagher
Saracens v Bristol Bears
Referee: Tom Foley (71st Premiership game)
ARs: Michael Hudson & Roy Maybank
TMO: Graham Hughes
Citing Officer: Danae Zamboulis
Wasps v Harlequins
Referee: Wayne Barnes (219th Premiership game)
ARs: Christophe Ridley & Paul Dix
TMO: Geoff Warren
Citing Officer: Chris Sharp
London Irish v Bath Rugby
Referee: Karl Dickson (22nd Premiership game)
ARs: Simon Harding & Jonathan Healy
TMO: Sean Davey
Citing Officer: Buster White
Greene King Championship
Jersey Reds v London Scottish
Referee: Fergus Kirby
ARs: Dean Richards & Nick Marshall
Ealing Trailfinders v Newcastle Falcons
Referee: Adam Leal
ARs: Clare Daniels & Gregory Garner
TMO: Nigel Carrick
Coventry v Nottingham
Referee: Hamish Smales
ARs: Simon Park & Phil Watters
TMO: Trevor Fisher
Cornish Pirates & Hartpury University
Referee: Dean Richards
ARs: Ian Bibey & Shane Lewis
Yorkshire Carnegie & Doncaster Knights
Referee: Neil Chivers
ARs: Jamie Leahy & Peter Allan
Bedford Blues & Ampthill
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe
ARs: Neil Chivers & Darryl Chapman
Tyrrells Premier 15s
Harlequins Women v Worcester Warriors Women
Referee: Katherine Ritchie
Wasps FC Ladies v Gloucester-Hartpury Women’s RFC
Referee: Hamish Grant
Loughborough Lightning v Bristol Bears Women
Referee: Dan Rowlands
Firwood Waterloo Ladies v Darlington Mowden Park Sharks
Referee: Daniel Woods
Richmond FC v Saracens Women
Referee: La Toya Mason
Scotland – Super 6
Ayrshire Bulls v Watsonians Rugby
Ref: Mike Adamson
ARs: Samuel O’Neil & Alistair Watt
Heriot’s Rugby v Stirling County
Ref: Finlay Brown
ARs: Jonny Perriam & Brian McGuff
Tennent’s Premiership
Edinburgh Academical v Jed Forest
Ref: John Smith
ARs: Johnathan Cockayne & Willie Anderson
GHA v Hawick
Ref: Graeme Ormiston
ARs: Gordi Reid& Allan Parry
Musselburgh v Marr
Ref: David Young
ARs: Stephen Greenhill & Colin George
Selkirk v Currie Chieftains
Ref: Michael Todd
ARs: Euan Clipston & Dean Lythgoe