Another week and more rugby appears on the calendar. This week, we welcome back the French Top 14 for a new season. There’s already one postponement as the Stade Francais v Bordeaux cannot take place as a number of Paris side have not yet recovered from a coronavirus outbreak last month. But the referees are all in place, including some familiar names. Less so, in the black shirt in the pic, is Adrien Descottes who will be in Brive as they play Bayonne.
In England, we have another referee on debut as Hamish Smales (top left of pic) makes his first appearance in the Gallagher Premiership at Gloucester. In New Zealand, there’s a one of match as the North take on the South. Paul Williams will oversee that one. And the Farah Palmer Cup starts after a week delay after the lockdown was reinstated two weeks ago . Brittany Andrew (bottom right pic) is in charge of the Taranaki match.
And in the Pro14, Andrew Brace and Frank Murphy will be overseeing the two semi finals and in Australia, their Super Rugby tournament nears a conclusion as the final round participants are decided. Nic Berry and Gus Gardner will have the whistles.
Enjoy your weekend rugby
Keith
Gallagher Premiership – round 18
Worcester Warriors v Bristol Bears
Referee: Wayne Barnes (227th Premiership game)
ARs: Sara Cox & Paul Dix
TMO: Geoff Warren
Citing Officer: Tony Diprose
Northampton Saints v Exeter Chiefs
Referee: Luke Pearce (101st Premiership game)
ARs: Greg Macdonald & Andrew Jackson
TMO: Keith Lewis
Citing Officer: James Hall
Saracens v Wasps
Referee: Christophe Ridley (26th Premiership game)
ARs: Craig Maxwell-Keys & Adam Leal
TMO: Luke Pearce
Citing Officer: John Byett
Harlequins v Bath Rugby
Referee: Tom Foley (80th Premiership game)
ARs: Matthew Carley & Simon McConnell
TMO: Sean Davey
Citing Officer: Allister Hogg
Leicester Tigers v Sale Sharks
Referee: Ian Tempest (72nd Premiership game)
ARs: Karl Dickson & Jack Makepeace
TMO: Rowan Kitt
Citing Officer: Grant Seely
Gloucester Rugby v London Irish
Referee: Hamish Smales (1st Premiership game)
ARs: Simon Harding & Phil Watters
TMO: David Rose
Citing Officer: Chris Sharp
Pro14 – Semi-finals
Leinster Rugby v Munster Rugby
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU, 54th Championship Appearance)
ARs: George Clancy (IRFU) & Sean Gallagher (IRFU)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)
Edinburgh Rugby v Ulster Rugby
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU, 35th Championship Appearance)
ARs: Mike Adamson (SRU) & Sam Grove-White (SRU)
TMO: Neil Patterson (SRU)
Super Rugby Australia – Round 10
Melbourne Rebels v Western Force
Referee: Angus Gardner
ARs: Graham Cooper & Amy Perrett
TMO: James Leckie
Reds v Brumbies
Referee: Nic Berry
ARs: Damon Murphy & Jordan Way
TMO: Brett Cronan
New Zealand
North v South
Referee: Paul Williams
ARs: Mike Fraser & Brendon Pickerill
TMO: Ben O’Keeffe
Farah Palmer Cup – round 1
Waikato v Northland Kauri – Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr
Counties Manukau Heat v North Harbour Hibiscus– Referee: Mike Winter
Taranaki Whio v Auckland Storm – Referee: Brittany Andrew
Top 14 – Round 1
Montpellier v Pau
Referee: Tual Trainini
ARs: Vivien Praderie & Mourad Gharbi Tarchouna
TMO: Cedric Marchat
La Rochelle v RC Toulon
Referee: Romain Poite
ARs: L. Ramos & F. Chazal
TMO: P. Bonhoure
Agen v Castres Olympique
Referee: Max Chalon
ARs: L. Cardona & S. Jaymes
TMO: T. Charabas
Lou v Racing 92
Referee: Pascal Gauzere
ARs: A.Ruiz & C. Fight
TMO: E. Briquet-Campin
Brive v Bayonne
Referee: Adrien Descottes
ARs: J. Castaignede & C. Coussan
TMO: J. Rebollal
ASM Clermont v Toulouse
Referee: Mathieu Raynal
ARs: P.Nuchy & B. Gabaldon
TMO: E.Gauzins
