Some important Rugby World Cup qualifying games this weekend in North America as Americas 1 & 2 spots narrow down. Irish referee, Frank Murphy will officiate the first leg of the USA v Uruguay match in Americas1 – a 2 leg match to determine that qualifier. Chris Busby (pic top right), who joined the IRFU’s High Performance Panel this season, will referee the Americas2, Canada v Chile match. The winner of that two-leg affair, with the reverse next weekend in Chile, will face the loser of the Americas 1 playoff next year. Simples.. The Rugby Championship finishes off this weekend with Matthew Carley and Jaco Peyper whistling before heading back to their respective quarantines! New Zealand wrapped up the trophy last weekend.
A milestone in the Gallagher Premiership as Tom Foley (top left) takes charge of his 100th match as Northampton host London Irish. He’ll be soon joined in the 100 Club, by Craig Maxwell-Keys who referees his 99th on Sunday at Sale.
In New Zealand, Ben Woolerton & Tiana Ngawati (bottom left) referee the play-off games in the Farah Palmer Cup to determine the opponents in the FPC Championship and Premiership finals next week. No French ProD2 this weekend, but we have the Top14 referees, plus those from Hong Kong, Scotland and England.
Good luck to everyone out and about this weekend
Keith
Rugby World Cup 2023 Qualifiers
USA v Uruguay (in Glendale, Colorado)
Referee: Frank Murphy (Ire)
ARs: Peter Martin (Ire)& Scott Green (USA)
TMO: Derek Summers (USA)
Canada v Chile (in Langford, Victoria)
Referee: Chris Busby (Ire)
ARs: Sean Gallagher (Ire) & Moe Chaudhry (Can)
TMO: Chris Assmus (Can)
Rugby Championship – final round
South Africa v New Zealand (played on Gold Coast, Australia)
Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
ARs: Damon Murphy (RA) & Jordan Way (RA)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
Argentina v Australia (played on Gold Coast)
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU)
ARs: Nic Berry (RA) & Reuben Keane (RA)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
NZ: Farah Palmer Cup – Final spot play offs
Northland Kauri v Hawke’s Bay Tui (Championship semi-final)
Referee: Ben Woolerton
ARs: Nathan Chestnut & Duane Wells
TMO: Llew Smart
Waikato v Wellington Pride (Premiership semi-final)
Referee: Tiana Ngawati
ARs: Mike Winter & Josh Bull
Manawatū Cyclones v Canterbury (non-competition match)
Referee: Larissa Collingwood
ARs: Sam Couper & Matt McEwen
NZ: Bunnings Warehouse NPC Match
Northland v Waikato
Referee: Mike Fraser
ARs: Boris Jurlina & Jaco Cronje
TMO: Llew Smart
Bay of Plenty v Wellington
Referee: Cam Stone
ARs: Grant Stuart & Cam Russell
TMO: John Dustow
Manawatu v Otago
Referee: Tipene Cottrell
ARs: Matt McEwen & Jacob Booth
TMO: Carl Baker
Tasman v Southland
Referee: Jono Bredin
ARs: Ben Alexander & Brad Evans
TMO: Cory Eggers
NZ: Heartland Championship
Horowhenua-Kapiti v East Coast
Referee: Fraser Hannon
ARs: Sam Thompson & Mike McNamara
Mid Canterbury v North Otago
Referee: George Haswell
ARs: Glenn Peddie & Kalifa Faalogo
Poverty Bay v West Coast
Referee: Nick Hogan
ARs: Mark Greene & Royce Maynard
South Canterbury v King Country
Referee: Dan Moore
ARs: Josh Rooney & Aaron Conlan
Thames Valley v Buller
Referee: Jackson Henshaw
ARs: James Higgins & Ryan Rogers
Whanganui v Wairarapa-Bush
Referee: Stu Catley
ARs: Rakei Hina & Kawana Tihema
United Rugby Championship – Round 2
Connacht v Vodacom Bulls
Referee: Ben Blain (SRU, 11th league game)
ARs: Paul Haycock (IRFU) & Andrew Cole (IRFU)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (SRU)
Scarlets v Emirates Lions
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR, 16th league game)
ARs: Elgan Williams (WRU) & Tom Spurrier (WRU)
TMO: Stefano Penne (FIR)
Benetton v Edinburgh
Referee: Craig Evans (WRU, 24th league game)
ARs: Manuel Bottino (FIR) & Filippo Russo (FIR)
TMO: Jon Mason (WRU)
Glasgow Warriors v Cell C Sharks
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU, 76th league game)
ARs: Finlay Brown (SRU) & Dunx McClement (SRU)
TMO: Ian Davies (WRU)
Zebre v Ulster
Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU, 16th league game)
ARs: Clara Munarini (FIR) & Luca Trentin (FIR)
TMO: Wayne Davies (WRU)
Ospreys v Cardiff
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU, 4th league game)
ARs: Ben Breakspear (WRU) & Jason Morris (WRU)
TMO: AJ Jacobs (SARU)
Munster v DHL Stormers
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU, 68th league game)
ARs: Oisin Quinn (IRFU) & Daniel Carson (IRFU)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (SRU)
Dragons v Leinster
Referee: AJ Jacobs (SARU, 4th league game)
ARs: Aled Evans (WRU) & Jason Bessant (WRU)
TMO: Sean Brickell (WRU)
Hong Kong: Dettol Men’s Premiership
KPMG HK Scottish vs. Impact HK HKU Sandy Bay
Referee: Craig Chan
ARs: Shane Barr & Morgan White
Natixis HKFC vs. DAC Kowloon
Referee: Shane Barr
ARs: Morgan White & Craig Chan
Kroll USRC Tigers vs. Societe Generale Valley
Referee: Stephen Copeman
ARs: Patrick Kwok & Graeme Martin
Hong Kong: Dettol Women’s Premiership
Natixis HKFC Ice vs. DAC Kowloon Ladies
Referee: Jacques Rossouw
ARs: Evans Lam & Sunny Lee
Kroll USRC Tigers Ladies vs. Societe Generale Valley Ladies
Referee: Patrick Kwok
ARs: Steven Yuen & Jackie Ho
Gai Wu Falcons vs. SCAA First Pacific Causeway Bay Phoenix
Referee: Sam Chan
ARs: Jan Tang & Waldo Burke
Gallagher Premiership – round 3
Bristol Bears v Bath Rugby
Referee: Ian Tempest (92nd Premiership game)
ARs: Greg Macdonald & Jonathan Healy
TMO: Karl Dickson
Citing Officer: Budge Pountney
Northampton v London Irish
Referee: Tom Foley (100th Premiership game)
ARs: Wayne Barnes & Paul Dix
TMO: David Rose
Citing Officer: Danae Zamboulis
Leicester v Saracens
Referee: Christophe Ridley (44th Premiership games)
ARs: Adam Leal & Jack Makepeace
TMO: Claire Hodnett
Citing Officer: Duncan Bell
Newcastle v Wasps
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (7th Premiership game)
ARs: Hamish Smales & John Meredith
TMO: Rowan Kitt
Citing Officer: Brian Campsall
Worcester Warriors v Gloucester
Referee: Andrew Jackson (29th Premiership game)
ARs: Mike Hudson & Gareth Holsgrove
TMO: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Citing Officer: Jay Curts
Sale Sharks v Exeter Chiefs
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys (99th Premiership game)
ARs: Wayne Falla & Phil Watters
TMO: Andrew Jackson
Citing Officer: John Byett
RFU Championship
Bedford Blues v Doncaster Knights
Referee: Nick Wood
ARs: Alex Thomas & Simon Park
Nottingham v Hartpury University
Referee: Adam Leal
ARs: Peter Brunt & Darryl Chapman
London Scottish v Ampthill
Referee: George Selwood
ARs: Ian Bibey & Ryan Collier
Coventry v Richmond
Referee: Joe James
ARs: Nick Marshall & Dean Richards
Cornish Pirates v Ealing Trailfinders
Referee: Sara Cox
ARs: Simon Adams & James Milliner-Woodcock
England – Allianz Premier 15s
Bristol Bears Women v Sale Sharks Women
Referee: Andrew Wigley
ARs: Oli Carey & David Philpot
Exeter Chiefs Women v Wasps Women
Referee: Dan Rowlands
ARs: Ben Wood & Andy Bickle
DMP Durham Sharks v Loughborough Lightning
Referee: Nia Parsonage
ARs: Adam Morrison & Paul Fincken
Gloucester-Hartpury v Harlequins Women
Referee: Nikki O’Donnell
ARs: Tom Evans-Jones & Bradley Bignell
Worcester Warriors Women v Saracens Women
Referee: Charlie Gayther
ARs: Peter Connor & Fiona Brunt
France : Top14 – Round 5
Brive v Stade Français Paris
Referee: Ludovic Cayre
ARs: V.Blasco baque & A.Blondel
TMO: J.Rebollal
Montpellier v La Rochelle
Referee: Mathieu Raynal
ARs: A.MARBOT & S.Jaymes
TMO: P.Bonhoure
Perpignan v Pau
Referee: Romain Poite
ARs: L.Ramos & S.Boyer
TMO: D.Grenouillet
Lyon v Union Bordeaux-Bègles
Referee: Vivien Praderie
ARs: P.Brousset & B.Gabaldon
TMO: E.BRIQUET CAMPIN
Biarritz v Toulouse
Referee: Patrick Nuchy
ARs: M.Chalon & F.Chazal
TMO: E.Gauzins
Castres v Toulon
Referee: Adrien Descottes
ARs: S.Minery & T.Mallet
TMO: M.Zitouni
Clermont v Racing 92
Referee: Laurent Cardona
ARs: J.Gasnier & S.Crapoix
TMO: P.Dellac
Scotland – Super 6
Ayrshire Bulls v Southern Knights
Ref: Hollie DAVIDSON
ARs: David SUTHERLAND & Ruairidh CAMPBELL
Heriot’s Rugby v Stirling County
Ref: Graeme ORMISTON
ARs: Jonny PERRIAM & Bob NEVINS
Watsonians Rugby v Boroughmuir Bears
Ref: Ian KENNY
ARs: Dunx MCCLEMENT & David CHANGLENG
Scotland – Tennent’s Premiership
Currie Chieftains v Edinburgh Academical
Ref: Ruairidh CAMPBELL
ARs: Michael MILNER & Colin GEORGE
GHA v Selkirk
Ref: Ross MABON
ARs: Lee FISH & Alistair WATT
Hawick v Glasgow Hawks
Ref: Michael TODD
ARs: David CHANGLENG & Grant DENHOLM
Marr v Jed Forest
Ref: Neil MUIR
ARs: Tom FRENCH & Allan PARRY
Musselburgh v Aberdeen Grammar Rugby
Ref: Samuel O’NEIL
ARs: Grant STEPHEN & Willie ANDERSON
Scotland – Tennents Womens Premier League
Corstorphine Cougars WRFC v Cartha Queens Park WRFC
Ref: Graeme CONNELL
ARs: Gregor MCINTOSH & Walter GAFFNEY
Stirling County WRFC v Heriots Blues Women
Ref: Iain MORRISON
ARs: Stuart WRIGHT & Colin GEORGE
Watsonians WRFC v Hillhead Jordanhill WRFC
Ref: Calum WEHMEYER
ARs: Johnathan COCKAYNE & Brian MCGUFF