The match officials for the men’s Guinness Six Nations 2021 which runs from 6 February to 20 March have been announced.
The appointments have been made after the usual 2020 performance reviews and with likely ongoing travel and quarantine restrictions in mind.
Nine referees will feature across the Championship this time round.
With two matches, Wayne Barnes (England) is set to reach 95 test referee appearances by the end of the championship. Romain Poite (France) will become the third most-capped referee in his own right by taking charge of his 71st test when Scotland play Ireland at Murrayfield on 14 March
Former sevens international Mike Adamson (Scotland) will referee his first Six Nations match – England versus Italy on 13 February at Twickenham, which will also be his first time refereeing a Six Nations team
Jaco Peyper (South Africa) will referee his first international match in over a year owing to pandemic travel restrictions when he takes charge of England versus France at Twickenham. Active referees, rather than TMO specialists will continue to perform Television Match Official duties.
Chairman of the World Rugby Match Officials Selection Committee, Graham Mourie said, “The 2021 Guinness 6 Nations marks an important milestone for our match officials on the road to Rugby World Cup 2023 in France after a disrupted 2020 owing to the pandemic. While international travel is still a challenge, we have selected a good blend of experienced and talented young match officials for the championship.”
2021 Six Nations Referees, ARs & TMOS
ITALY V FRANCE
Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy
Saturday 6 February 2021 @ 1415
Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
ARs: Mike Adamson (SRU) & Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Karl Dickson (RFU)
ENGLAND V SCOTLAND
Twickenham Stadium, England
Saturday 6 February 2021 @ 1645
Referee: Andrew Brace (RFU)
ARs: Pascal Gauzere (FFR) & Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU)
WALES V IRELAND
Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
Sunday 7 February 2021 @ 1500
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
ARs: Luke Pearce (RFU) & Alex Ruiz (FFR)
TMO: Tom Foley (RFU)
ENGLAND V ITALY
Twickenham Stadium, England
Saturday 13 February 2021 @ 1415
Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)
ARs: Romain Poite (FFR) & Ben Blain (SRU)
TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU)
SCOTLAND V WALES
BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland
Saturday 13 February 2021 @ 1645
Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
ARs: Pascal Gauzere (FFR) & Andrea Piardi (FIR)
TMO: Karl Dickson (RFU)
IRELAND V FRANCE
Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland
Sunday 14 February 2021 @ 1500
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
ARs: Wayne Barnes (RFU) & Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Tom Foley (RFU)
ITALY V IRELAND
Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy
Saturday 27 February 2021 @ 1415
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
ARs: Mike Adamson (SRU) & Craig Evans (WRU)
TMO: Romain Poite (FFR)
WALES V ENGLAND
Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
Saturday 27 February 2021 @ 1645
Referee: Pascal Gauzere (FFR)
ARs: Andrew Brace (IRFU) & Frank Murphy (IRFU)
TMO: Alex Ruiz (FFR)
FRANCE V SCOTLAND
Stade de France, Paris, France
Sunday 28 February 2021 @ 1500
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
ARs: Matthew Carley (RFU) & Andrea Piardi (FIR)
TMO: Tom Foley (RFU)
ITALY V WALES
Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy
Saturday 13 March 2021 @ 1415
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
ARs: Pascal Gauzere (FFR) & Tom Foley (RFU)
TMO: Frank Murphy (IRFU)
ENGLAND V FRANCE
Twickenham Stadium, England
Saturday 13 March 2021 @ 1645
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU)
ARs: Mike Adamson (SRU) & Craig Evans (WRU)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
SCOTLAND V IRELAND
BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland
Sunday 14 March 2021 @ 1500
Referee: Romain Poite (FFR)
ARs: Mathieu Raynal (FFR) & Andrea Piardi (FIR)
TMO: Alex Ruiz (FFR)
SCOTLAND V ITALY
BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland
Saturday 20 March 2021 @ 1415
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU)
ARs: Karl Dickson (RFU) & Craig Evans (WRU)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
IRELAND V ENGLAND
Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland
Saturday 20 March 2021 @ 1645
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
ARs: Pascal Gauzere (FFR) & Alex Ruiz (FFR)
TMO: Romain Poite (FFR)
FRANCE V WALES
Stade de France, Paris, France
Saturday 20 March 2021 @ 2000
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
ARs: Matthew Carley (RFU) & Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
Edit: 22 February. Due to travel restrictions in South Africa and Europe, Jaco Peyper and Marius van der Westhuizen are unable to fulfill their alloted appointments. Therefore, the final rounds have seen some changes to the referees, ARs and TMOs.
ITALY V WALES
Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Saturday, 13 March, 2021 @ 14:15
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
ARs: Pascal Gauzere (FFR) & Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Tom Foley (RFU)
ENGLAND V FRANCE
Twickenham Stadium, London
Saturday, 13 March, 2021 @ 16:45
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
ARs: Mike Adamson (SRU) & Frank Murphy (IRFU)
TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU)
SCOTLAND V IRELAND
BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Sunday, 14 March, 2021 @ 15:00
Referee: Romain Poite (FFR)
ARs: Mathieu Raynal (FFR) & Andrea Piardi (FIR)
TMO: Alex Ruiz (FFR)
SCOTLAND V ITALY
BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Saturday, 20 March, 2021 @ 14:15
Referee: Pascal Gauzere (FFR)
ARs: Karl Dickson (RFU) & Craig Evans (WRU)
TMO: Alex Ruiz (FFR)
IRELAND V ENGLAND
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Saturday, 20 March, 2021 @ 16:45
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
ARs: Mike Adamson (SRU) & Andrea Piardi (FIR)
TMO: Romain Poite (FFR)
FRANCE V WALES
Stade de France, Paris
Saturday, 20 March, 2021 @ 20:00
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
ARs: Matthew Carley (RFU) & Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Wayne Barnes (RFU)