The Autumn internationals kick off this weekend, but as well as the top tier countries playing each other, we also have another tournament kicking off. The World Rugby Americas Pacific Challenge pits the South America countries, plus a USA Select XV team against each other. And it’s good to see some new refereeing blood from the region too.
Tomas Bertazza from Argentina (pic bottom left) & Gonzalo de Achaval (UAR) kick things off this weekend as Chile, Paraguay, Brazil and Uruguay get into. Sadly, travel complications means the USA Team didn’t get into Uruguay in time for their match against an Argentina VX so that’s been cancelled. Referee, Ricardo Caua from Brazil, will have to wait another week for his first tournament match.
In more familiar territory, Angus Gardner (top right) returns to international action after a length calf injury. He’ll be in Washington DC as the US Eagles host the All Blacks. Paul Williams is in Japan for their match against Australia.
In New Zealand, James Doleman (top left) referees his 100th first class match on Friday night, joining 23 others who have previously achieved this milestone. We’ve also got the referee, ARs and TMOs for the URC, Gallagher Premiership, RFU Championship, the French Top 14 and ProD2 and the Scotland premierships too.
Enjoy
Keith
World Rugby Americas Pacific Challenge 2021
All games played in Montevideo, Uruguay
Friday 22 October
Chile A v Paraguay A
Referee: Tomas Bertazza (UAR)
ARs: Matias Esteban (URU) & Frank Mendez (Chile)
TMO: Francisco Pesce (URU)
Argentina XV v USA Selects
Referee: Ricardo Caua (Brazil)
ARs: Frank Mendez (Chile) & Matias Esteban (URU)
TMO: Francisco Gonzalez (URU)
Brazil A v Uruguay A
Referee: Gonzalo de Achaval (UAR)
ARs: Tomas Bertazza (UAR) & Frank Mendez (Chile)
TMO: Francisco Pesce (URU)
Tuesday 26 October
Brazil A v USA Selects
Referee: Matias Esteban (URU)
ARs: Gonzalo de Achaval (UAR) & Tomas Bertazza (UAR)
TMO: Francisco Pesce (URU)
Argentina XV v Paraguay A
Referee: Frank Mendez (Chile)
ARs: Matias Esteban (URU) & Ricardo Caua (Brazil)
TMO: Francisco Gonzalez (URU)
Chile A v Uruguay A
Referee: Tomas Bertazza (UAR)
ARs: Gonzalo de Achaval (UAR) & Ricardo Caua (Brazil)
TMO: Francisco Pesce (URU)
Autumn Internationals
USA v New Zealand
Referee: Angus Gardner (RA)
ARs: Moe Chaudhry (RC) & Scott Green (USAR)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
Japan v Australia
Referee: Paul Williams (NZR)
ARs: Takehito Namekawa (JRFU) & Shuhei Kubo (JRFU)
TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR)
Rugby Europe
Conference 2 North
Norway v Denmark
Referee: Liam Wright
Conference 1 North
Sweden v Luxembourg
Referee: Artur Kisle
Trophy
Lithuania v Ukraine
Referee: Ethan Glass (Swi)
ARs: Yann Benoit & Paul Timmins
New Zealand – Bunnings Warehouse NPC Match
Otago v Canterbury
Referee: James Doleman
ARs: Jono Bredin& Logan Whitty
TMO: Chris Hart
Taranaki v Manawatu
Referee: Dan Waenga
ARs: Will Johnston & Cam Hurley
TMO: Richard Kelly
Bay of Plenty v Northland
Referee: Tipene Cottrell
ARs: Tiana Ngawati & Cam Russell
TMO: John Dustow
Non Competition Friendly
Wellington v Southland
Referee: Cam Stone
ARs: Jamie Fairmaid & Daniel Mangin
TMO: Jared Clarke
Hawke’s Bay v Waikato
Referee: Nick Briant
ARs: Nick Hogan & Sheldon Eden-Whaitiri
TMO: Mark Johnson
Heartland Championship
Buller v North Otago
Referee: Dan Moore
ARs: Caleb Neilson & Gareth Allen
Horowhenua-Kapiti v Thames Valley
Referee: Mike Winter
ARs: Sam Thompson & Mike McNamara
King Country v Wairarapa-Bush
Referee: Stu Curran
ARs: Chris Cowie & Tony Prestage
Mid Canterbury v Poverty Bay
Referee: Jackson Henshaw
ARs: TBC
South Canterbury v Whanganui
Referee: Fraser Hannon
ARs: Chris Paul & M. O’Brien
West Coast v East Coast
Referee: George Haswell
ARs: John Whitcombe & Colin Van Der Geest
Scotland – Tennent’s Premiership
Aberdeen Grammar Rugby v GHA
Ref: Dunx MCCLEMENT
ARs: Gordon GALASHAN & Willie ANDERSON
Glasgow Hawks v Selkirk
Ref: Ruairidh CAMPBELL
ARs: Gordi REID & Digby THOMAS
Jed Forest v Currie Chieftains
Ref: Finlay BROWN
ARs: Craig CLARK & Grant DENHOLM
Marr v Edinburgh Academical
Ref: Keith ALLEN
ARs: David YOUNG & Stephen WARD
Musselburgh v Hawick
Ref: Ross MABON
ARs: Ciaran STARK & Brian MCGUFF
Tennents Womens Premier League
Hillhead Jordanhill WRFC v Cartha Queens Park WRFC
Ref: Gregor MCINTOSH
ARs: Calum WORSLEY & Allana MCLEAN
Stirling County WRFC v Corstorphine Cougars WRFC
Ref: Mary PRINGLE
ARs: Calum LAZENBY & Andrew LAING
Watsonians WRFC v Heriots Blues Women
Ref: Johnathan COCKAYNE
ARs: Gordon GALASHAN & Allan
URC- Round 5
Scarlets Rugby v Benetton Rugby
Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU, 13th league game)
ARs: Rhys Jones (WRU) & Gareth Newman (WRU)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)
Glasgow Warriors v Leinster Rugby
Referee: Craig Evans (WRU, 25th league game)
ARs: Keith Allen (SRU) & David Sutherland (SRU)
TMO: Jon Mason (WRU)
Zebre Parma v Edinburgh Rugby
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU, 52nd league game)
ARs: Andrea Piardi (FIR), & Federico Vedovelli (FIR),
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)
Connacht Rugby v Ulster Rugby
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU, 70th league game)
ARs: Peter Martin (IRFU), & Paul Haycock (IRFU),
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)
Cardiff Rugby v Dragons Rugby
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU, 78th league game)
ARs: Simon Rees (WRU), & Ben Breakspear (WRU)
TMO: Sean Brickell (WRU)
Ospreys Rugby v Munster Rugby
Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU, 2nd league game)
ARs: Adam Jones (WRU), & Dewi Phillips (WRU)
TMO: Mike Adamson (SRU)
Gallagher Premiership – round 6
Northampton Saints v Worcester Warriors
Referee: Ian Tempest (94th Premiership appointment)
ARs: Karl Dickson & Christophe Ridley
TMO: Adam Leal
Gloucester Rugby v Newcastle Falcons
Referee: Wayne Barnes (246th Premiership appointment)
ARs: Neil Chivers & Christophe Ridley
TMO: Stuart Terheege
Exeter Chiefs v London Irish
Referee: Hamish Smales (5th Premiership appointment)
ARs: Paul Dix & Phil Watters
TMO: David Rose
Leicester Tigers v Sale Sharks
Referee: Karl Dickson (48th Premiership appointment)
ARs: Adam Leal & Rob Warburton
TMO: Rowan Kitt
Harlequins v Bath Rugby
Referee: Luke Pearce (117th Premiership appointment)
ARs: Jack Makepeace & Wayne Falla
TMO: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Saracens v Wasps
Referee: Matthew Carley (108th Premiership appointment)
ARs: Anthony Woodthorpe & Jonathan Healy
TMO: Craig Maxwell-Keys
RFU Championship – round 5
Nottingham v Cornish Pirates
Referee: Mike Hudson
ARs: Nikki O’Donnell & Nick Marshall
Jersey Reds v Ampthill
Referee: Joe James
ARs: Simon Park & Dean Richards
Bedford Blues v Richmond
Referee: George Selwood
ARs: Ryan Collier & Ian Bibey
Coventry v Ealing Trailfinders
Referee: Sara Cox
ARs: Mike Woods & Gregg Dawson
London Scottish v Hartpury University
Referee: Alex Thomas
ARs: Simon Adams & Peter Brunt
Top 14 – Round 8
Union Bordeaux-Bègles v Perpignan
Referee: Benoit Rousselet
ARs: S.Minery & F.Masse
TMO: P.Dellac
Stade Français Paris v Lyon
Referee: Jonathan Dufort
ARs: M.Chalon & T.Mallet
TMO: L.Cardona
Biarritz v Brive
Referee: Luc Ramos
ARs: F.Hourquet & F.Chazal
TMO: D.Grenouillet
Clermont v Pau
Referee: Ludovic Cayre
ARs: N.Datas & S.Crapoix
TMO: E.Gauzins
Racing 92 v Montpellier
Referee: Vivien Praderie
ARs: R.Poite & C.Coussan
TMO: E.BRIQUET CAMPIN
Toulouse v Castres
Referee: Mathieu Raynal
ARs: M.Noirot & C.Bats
TMO: P.Bonhoure
La Rochelle v Toulon
Referee: Pierre Brousset
ARs: P.Nuchy & TBC
TMO: C.Marchat
ProD2 – Round 8
US Montalbanaise v Stade Montois Rugby
Referee: F.Hourquet
ARs: A.GROIZELEAU & N.ROCHE
TMO: L.Sclafer
Bayonne v Provence Rugby
Referee: V.Blasco baque
ARs: L.Carrillo & B.Escoubet
TMO: J.Rebollal
Carcassonne v Vannes
Referee: H.Lasausa lespy labaylette
ARs: Y.Vals & D.Dayre
TMO: M.Zitouni
Rouen Normandie v Oyonnax
Referee: P.Bru
ARs: R.Charleroy & W.Prache
TMO: J.Gasnier
Bressane v Narbonne
Referee: D.Beun
ARs: J.LESPES & L.Millotte
TMO: C.Lafon
Agen v Stade Aurillacois
Referee: T.Chereque
ARs: S.Coulon & P.Puharre
TMO: A.Blondel
Béziers v Colomiers Rugby
Referee: A.MARBOT
ARs: B.Hernandez & P.Vitrac
TMO: P.Pechambert
Nevers v Grenoble
Referee: A.Descottes
ARs: J.ROZIER & F.Hand
TMO: A.Hadj bachir