We have a heady weekend mix of finals, semi finals and season openers!
Mike Fraser (bottom left) will referee the Super Rugby Trans Tasman final between the Blues and the Highlanders. Frank Murphy will referee the Pro14 Rainbow Cup final in Treviso on Saturday when Benetton represent the north and host the South African winners, the Lions. The other final is in England’s Championship where Saracens will be looking to hold onto a slim 60-0 first leg lead as they vie for a swift return to the Premiership. Luke Pearce referees that one.
Speaking of Premiership, it’s the play-off semi finals this weekend, with Tom Foley and Wayne Barnes overseeing matters in Bristol and Exeter respectively. In France, Mathieu Raynal and Tual Trainini (top right in pic) will referee the Top 14 semi finals in Toulouse and La Rochelle.
And at the ‘new’ end of the scale it’s the first weekend of the delayed U20 Six Nations (all being held in Wales – Ireland’s Chris Busby (top left) has the France v England match), the Australian Super W women’s series and the Currie Cup in South Africa! Plenty of referees in action across those competitions! Finally, we have some European 7s action in Zagreb and Monaco – the respective referee squads are all shown below too!
Enjoy your weekend
Keith
U20 Six Nations
Round 1 – All games held at Cardiff Arms Park, Wales
Scotland U20 v Ireland U20
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)
ARs: Ben Breakspear & Rhys Jobes (both Wal)
TMO: Sean Brickell (Wal)
England U20 v France U20
Referee: Chris Busby (Ire)
ARs: Gareth Newman & Aaron Perry (both Wal)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)
Italy U20 v Wales U20
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)
ARs: Greg Macdonald (Eng) & Jonathan Healy (Eng)
TMO: Ian Tempest (Eng)
Super Rugby Trans Tasman Final
Blues v Highlanders
Referee: Mike Fraser
ARs: Ben O’Keeffe & Paul Williams
TMO: Brendon Pickerill
Pro14 Rainbow Cup Final (in Treviso, Italy)
Benetton Rugby v Vodacom Bulls
Referee: Frank Murphy (Ire)
ARs: Andrew Brace & Eoghan Cross (both Ire)
TMO Brian MacNeice (Ire)
Top 14 Semi finals
La Rochelle v Racing 92
Referee: Mathieu Raynal
Ars: Pierre Brousset & Jonathan Dufort
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure
Toulouse v Bordeaux Bègles
Referee: Tual Trainini
ARs: Pascal Gauzere & Ludovic Cayre
TMO: Eric Briquet Campin
Gallagher Premiership – Semi Finals
Bristol Bears v Harlequins
Referee: Wayne Barnes
ARs: Christophe Ridley & Paul Dix
TMO: Stuart Terheege
Citing officer: Paul Hull
Exeter Chiefs v Sale Sharks
Referee: Tom Foley
ARs: Jack Makepeace & Anthony Woodthorpe
TMO: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Citing officer: Nick Wood
Greene King Championship final – second leg
Saracens (60) v Ealing Trailfinders (0)
Referee: Luke Pearce
ARs: Matthew Carley & Karl Dickson
TMO: Claire Hodnett
Carling Currie Cup – Premier Division
New Nation Pumas v Lions
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
ARs: Local appointments
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen
Tafel Lager Griquas v Cell C Sharks
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
ARs: Local appointments
TMO: AJ Jacobs
Vodacom Bulls v DHL Western Province
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
ARs: Local appointments
TMO: Cwengile Jadezweni
Currie Cup – First Division
SWD Eagles v Valke – Referee: Ruhan Meiring
Border Bulldogs v Down Touch Griffons – Referee: Paul Mente
Eastern Province v Leopards- Referee: Griffin Colby
Australia – Super W
QLD Reds Women vs NSW Waratahs Women
Referee: James Palmer
ARs: Jessica Ling & Lara West
ACT Brumbies Women vs Melbourne Rebels Women
Referee: Madeline Putz
ARs: Peter Van Aswegen & Amy Kilmister
Rugby Europe Women’s 7s Trophy – Zagreb
Melissa Leboeuf (FRA)
Monika Macon (POL)
Antonia Nussbaumer (GER)
Maria-Giovanna Pacifico (ITA)
Marya Podsobliaeva (RUS)
Ana Pogosyani (GEO)
Rugby Europe Men’s 7s Trophy – Zagreb
Sulkhan Chikladze (GEO)
Alexis Darche (FRA)
Alexei Evseev (RUS)
Slobodan Nikolic (CRO)
Franco Rosella (ITA)
Jonathan Teppler (GER)
World Rugby 7s Repecharge tournament – Monaco
Sara Cox (Eng)
Paulo Duarte (Por)
Finlay Brown (Sco)
Hollie Davidson (Sco)
Adam Jones (Wal)
Richard Haughton (Eng)
Craig Evans (Wal)
