The Bledisloe Cup kicks off the autumn international window as Paul Williams referees the New Zealand v Australia match in Wellington on Sunday. In the Pro14, IRFU referee, Chris Busby will make his championship debut on Friday night. He’ll be at Rodney Parade, as the Dragons host Zebre. Busby refereed two U20 Six Nations games earlier this year as well as taking in some Pro D2 games in France. Good luck Chris!
In England it’s the Premiership semi finals, with Luke Pearce and Matthew Carley in charge. After a few warm-up weekends, the South African Super Rugby tournament – titled Super Rugby Unlocked gets underway. The familiar names of AJ Jacobs, Jacyo Peyper and Marius van der Westhuizen are all in round one action. And back in the south, we have the Mitre10 and Farah Palmer cups rolling on; Maggie Cogger-Orr in action as Counties Manukau host the Bay of Plenty. In France, Alex Ruiz will be hoping Racing 92 get to play their match this weekend after a covid interruption in recent weeks.
Enjoy whatever you’re watching this weekend
Keith
Bledisloe Cup
New Zealand v Australia
Referee: Paul Williams
ARs: Ben O’Keefe & Angus Gardner
TMO: Mike Fraser
Gallagher Premiership – semi finals
Exeter v Bath
Referee: Luke Pearce
ARs: Craig Maxwell-Keys & Adam Leal
TMO: Wayne Barnes
Wasps v Bristol
Referee: Matthew Carley
ARs: Karl Dickson & Ian Tempest
TMO: Tom Foley
Guinness Pro14 – round 2
Dragons v Zebre
Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU, competition debut)
ARs: Adam Jones & Craig Evans (both WRU)
TMO: Sean Brickell (WRU)
Benetton v Leinster
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU, 66th competition game)
ARs: Andrea Piardi & Andrea Spadoni (both FIR)
TMO: Marius Mitrea (FIR)
Ospreys v Ulster
Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU, 45th competition game)
ARs: Dan Jones, Gwyn Morris (both WRU)
TMO: Ian Davies (WRU)
Munster v Edinburgh
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU, 185th competition game)
ARs: Sean Gallagher & Peter Martin (both IRFU)
TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU)
Cardiff Blues v Connacht
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR, 2nd competition game)
ARs: Craig Evans & Adam Jones (both WRU)
TMO: Jon Mason (WRU)
Glasgow Warriors v Scarlets
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU, 36th competition game)
ARs: Ben Blain & Hollie Davidson (both SRU)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (SRU)
Super Rugby Unlocked – South Africa
Cell C Sharks v Emirates Lions
Referee: AJ Jacobs
ARs: Paul Mente & Archie Sehlako
TMO: Rasta Rasivhenge
Toyota Cheetahs v Phakisa Pumas
Referee: Jaco Peyper
ARs: Griffin Colby & Ben Crouse
TMO: Stuart Berry
Vodacom Bulls v Tafel Lager Griquas
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
ARs: Aimee Barrett-Theron & Morne Ferreira
TMO: Cwengile Jadezweni
Mitre 10 Cup – Week 5
Manawatu v Canterbury
Referee: Nick Briant
ARs: Stu Curran & Matt McEwen
Taranaki v Auckland
Referee: James Doleman
ARs: Trent Mischefski & Alistair Kalin
North Harbour v Hawke’s Bay
Referee: Angus Mabey
ARs: Kyle Lagerwall & Scott McKenzie
Wellington v Otago
Referee: Angus Gardner (AUS)
ARs: Mike Fraser & Jack Sargentina
Waikato v Counties Manukau
Referee: Brendon Pickerill
ARs: Michael Winter & Grant Stuart
Tasman v Bay of Plenty
Referee: Cam Stone
ARs: Steff James & Tom Holohan
Northland v Southland
Referee: Richard Kelly
ARs: Boris Jurlina & Stephen Ball
Farah Palmer Cup – Week 6
North Harbour Hibiscus v Waikato
Referee: Brittany Andrew
ARs: James Wheaton & Cass Rea
Counties Manukau Heat v Bay of Plenty Volcanix
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr
ARs: TBC
Northland Kauri v Taranaki Whio
Referee: Larissa Collingwood
ARs: Jaco Cronje & Marcus Tomlinson
Top 14 rugby – France
Bayonne v La Rochelle
Referee: Luc Ramos
ARs Pierre baptiste Nuchy & Frederic Chazal
TMO: Romain Poite
SU Agen v Stade Français Paris
Referee: Pascal Gauzere
ARs: J.Castaignede & P.Milani
TMO: P.Dellac
Castres Olympique v CA Brive
Referee: Thomas Charabas
ARs: T.Trainini & G.Elias
TMO: Eric Briquet Campin
RC Toulon v Montpellier
Referee: Adrien Descottes
ARs: S.Minery & R.Duhau
TMO: Dennis Grenouillet
Racing 92 v Stade Toulouse
Referee: Alex Ruiz
ARs: L.Cardona & B.Gabaldon
TMO: Patric Bonhoure
Pau v Lou
Referee: Maxime Chalon
ARs: V.Praderie & C.Bats
TMO: M.Raynal
Bordeaux-Bègles v ASM Clermont
Referee: Pierre Brousset
ARs: L.Cayre & J.Labarbe
TMO: Eric Gauzins
Good Luck Chris Busby for your first Pro14 match. Dragons v Zebra.