European & SA referee appointments: 18-20 December

Another quiet pre-Christmas rugby weekend as we have European Champions and Challenge Cup, plus Premier 15s in England and Currie Cup in South Africa. A few games have gone to the wall following a rash of covid positive tests in the Exeter squad. That’s caused last week’s opponents Glasgow (due to host Lyon this weekend) to have to self isolate too, as well as the precautionary withdrawal of Mathieu Raynal from referee duties too. Mike Adamson picks up his second reappointment of the weekend as he was due to replace Andrew Brace in Toulouse (due to be hosting Exeter) after the Irishman was moved diplomatically following the England v France Autumn Nations Cup game. The abuse, including personal threats, he received is something we all abhor. Brace will now be in Coventry as Wasps play Montpellier. Adamson (top left of pic) now heads over to referee Connacht v Bristol, replacing Raynal.

On a more positive point, French referee Pierre Brousset (pic top right) picks up, we think, his first Champions Cup match as Leinster play Northampton. Bon chance mon ami!

Have a good weekend
Keith

European Champions Cup – R2

Scarlets v RC Toulon
Referee: Wayne Barnes (Eng)
ARs: Adam Jones (Wal) & Mike English (Wal)
TMO: Ian Davies (Wal)

Wasps v Montpellier
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ire)
ARs: Sara Cox (Eng) & Jamie Leahy (Eng)
TMO: Ian Tempest (Eng)

Leinster Rugby v Northampton Saints
Referee: Pierre Brousset (Fra)
ARs: Sean Gallagher (Ire) & Eoghan Cross (Ire)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ire)

Gloucester Rugby v Ulster Rugby
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz (Fra)
ARs: Tom Foley (Eng) & Phil Watters (Eng)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (Eng)

La Rochelle v Bath Rugby
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)
ARs: Thomas Charabas (Fra)& Maxime Chalon (Fra)
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure (Fra)

ASM Clermont Auvergne v Munster Rugby
Referee: Matthew Carley (Eng)
ARs: Ludovic Cayre (Fra) & Luc Ramos (Fra)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)

Bordeaux-Begles v Dragons
Referee: Christophe Ridley (Eng)
ARs: Tual Trainini (Fra) & Cedric Marchat (Fra)
TMO: Eric Briquet-Campin (Fra)

Sale Sharks v Edinburgh Rugby
Referee: Romain Poite (Fra)
ARs: Ian Tempest (Eng)& John Meredith (Eng)
TMO: Claire Hodnett (Eng)

Harlequins v Racing 92
Referee: Frank Murphy (Ire)
ARs: Anthony Woodthorpe (Eng) & Simon Harding (Eng)
TMO: David Grashoff (Eng)

Connacht Rugby v Bristol Bears
Referee: Mike Adamson (Sco)
ARs: Sean Gallagher (Ire)& Rob O’Sullivan (Ire)
TMO: Joy Neville (Ire)

Challenge Cup Round 2

Castres Olympique v Newcastle Falcons
Referee: Craig Evans (Wal)
ARs: Vincent Blasco Baqué (Fra)& Adrien Descottes (Fra)
TMO: Ludovic Cayre (Fra)

Brive v Zebre Rugby Club
Referee: Adam Leal (Eng)
ARs: Laurent Cardona (Fra) & Vivien Praderie (Fra)

Benetton Rugby v Agen
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Sco)
ARs: Marius Mitrea (Ita)& Filippo Russo (Ita)
TMO: Stefano Penne (Ita)

Worcester Warriors v Ospreys
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)
ARs: Andrew Jackson (Eng) & Jonathan Healy (Eng)
TMO: Keith Lewis (Eng)

Bayonne v Leicester Tigers
Referee: Chris Busby (Ire)
ARs: Pierre-Baptiste Nuchy (Fra)& Julien Castaignede (Fra)
TMO: Cyril Lafon (Fra)

London Irish v Pau
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)
ARs: Michael Hudson (Eng) & Roy Maybank (Eng)

Cardiff Blues v Stade Francais Paris
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys (Eng)
ARs: Dan Jones (Wal) & Elgan Williams (Wal)
TMO: Jonathan Mason (Wal)

Allianz Premier 15s

DMP Durham Sharks v Bristol Bears Women
Referee: Elliott Lewis
ARs: Kieron Henry & Rebecca Rees

Wasps FC Ladies v Gloucester-Hartpury Women’s RFC
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe
ARs: Joe James & Michael Woods

Saracens Women v Loughborough Lightning
Referee: Nick Wood
ARs: Neil Sweeney & James Clarke

Exeter Chiefs Women v Sale Sharks Women
Referee: Charles Gayther
ARs: Lloyd Davies & Clare Daniels

Worcester Warriors Women v Harlequins Women
Referee: Nikki O’Donnell (pic bottom left)
ARs: Daniel Rowlands & Peter Caunt

Currie Cup – Round 4

Phakisa Pumas v Toyota Cheetahs
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
ARs: Aimee Barrett-Theron & Morne Ferreira
TMO: Pro Legoete

Xerox Lions v Cell C Sharks
Referee: Jaco Peyper (bottom right of pic)
ARs: Cwengile Jadezweni & Aimee Barrett-Theron
TMO: Stuart Berry