World Rugby has announced the June/July match official appointments for the 2022 summer international series.
Twenty two match officials representing nine nations will take charge of the 25 matches with the pre-RWC21 women’s test match appointments being announced at a later stage.
Jordan Way from Australia kicks the series off with Japan v Uruguay on 18 June and his countryman Damon Murphy will blow the final whistle with the Asia/Pacific 1 qualifier for Rugby World Cup 2023 on 23 July.
99 not out for Barnes
Wayne Barnes (England) will move closer to the 100-test milestone as a referee when he takes charge of his 99th test with the third test between New Zealand and Ireland.
Other notable appointments see Damon Murphy and England’s Luke Pearce refereeing the two-legged Americas 2 play-off for Rugby World Cup 2023 between Chile and USA. Hollie Davidson (Scotland) will act as an assistant referee for the first leg of that one. Joy Neville (Ireland) will be the TMO for the first test between South Africa and Wales in Pretoria on 2 July and the second Australia v England test in Brisbane on 9 July. One name missing from the list is Australia’s Nic Berry who, we assume, takes a well-earned break after a tough twelve-month run. Craig Evans has been a regular with the whistle in recent years but, with two big AR appointments in Australia, there may be a RWC 2023 plan in play there.
Developing referees making progress
Of those on what RugbyReferee.net calls the ‘developing international referees list’, Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) will referee his first test outside of Europe with the first test between South Africa and Wales in Pretoria. Pierre Brousset (France) also takes charge of a test outside of Europe for the first time with the Uruguay v Romania second test in Montevideo. We also see Andrea Piardi (Italy) and Adam Leal (Eng) and Graham Cooper (Aus – pic left) getting international XVs experience.
World Rugby Match Officials Selection Committee Chairman Graham Mourie said, “These appointments reflect another key milestone on the road to both the women’s and men’s Rugby World Cups and have been made on merit following a review of performances at both international and club level.
“While the respective Six Nations competitions have demonstrated positive momentum for the match officiating group, we always strive for improvement and in particular by focusing on the clear and obvious with an emphasis on the promotion of safety, speed, space.”
Summer men’s international appointments
Saturday 18 June 2022
Japan v Uruguay
Referee: Jordan Way (RA)
ARs: Mike Fraser (NZR) & Graham Cooper (RA)
TMO: Chris Hart (NZR)
Sunday 19 June 2022
England v Barbarians
Referee: Andrew Piardi (FIR)
ARs: Mike Adamson (SRU) & Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
Saturday 25 June 2022
Japan v Uruguay
Referee: Graham Cooper (RA)
ARs: Mike Fraser (NZR) & Reuben Keane (RA)
TMO: Oli Kellett (RA)
Portugal v Italy
Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU)
ARs: Sara Cox (RFU) & Aurelie Groizeleau (FFR)
TMO: Claire Hodnett (RFU)
Saturday 2 July 2022
USA v French Barbarians
Referee: Adam Leal (RFU)
ARs: Adam Jones (WRU) & Damian Schneider (UAR)
TMO: Chris Assmus (RC)
Australia v England
Referee: James Doleman (NZR)
ARs: Andrew Brace (IRFU) & Craig Evans (WRU)
TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR)
New Zealand v Ireland
Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU)
ARs: Wayne Barnes (RFU) & Jordan Way (RA)
TMO: Tom Foley (RFU)
South Africa v Wales
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
ARs: Angus Gardner (RA) & Andrew Piardi (FIR)
TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU)
Argentina v Scotland
Referee: Nic Berry (RA)
ARs: Mathieu Raynal (FFR) & Pierre Brousset (FFR)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)
Spain v Italy
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
ARs: Christophe Ridley (RFU) & Anthony Woodthorpe (RFU)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
Japan v France
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU)
ARs: Mike Adamson (SRU) & Chris Busby (IRFU)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
Saturday 9 July 2022
Australia v England
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
ARs: Paul Williams (NZR) & Craig Evans (WRU)
TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU)
New Zealand v Ireland
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU)
ARs: Karl Dickson (RFU) & Jordan Way (RA)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
South Africa v Wales
Referee: Angus Gardner (RA)
ARs: Matthew Carley (RFU) & Andrea Piardi (FIR)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
Argentina v Scotland
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
ARs: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR) & Pierre Brousset (FFR)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)
Chile v USA – Rugby World Cup Qualifier
Referee: Nic Berry (RA)
ARs: Hollie Davidson (SRU) & Moe Chaudhry (RC)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)
Georgia v Italy
Referee: Brendon Pickerill (SARU)
ARs: Adam Leal (RFU) & Adam Jones (WRU)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
Japan v France
Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)
ARs: Frank Murphy (IRFU) & Chris Busby (IRFU)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
Sunday 10 July 2022
Uruguay v Romania
Referee: Tual Trainini (FFR)
ARs: Neheun Jauri Rivero (UAR) & Tomas Bertazza (UAR)
TMO: Austin Reed (USA)
Canada v Spain
Referee: Luke Pearce (Eng)
ARs: Kat Roche (USA) & Kahlil Harrison (USA)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (Eng)
Saturday 16 July 2022
Australia v England
Referee: Paul Williams (NZR)
ARs: Andrew Brace (IRFU) & James Doleman (NZR)
TMO: Chris Hart (NZR)
New Zealand v Ireland
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
ARs: Karl Dickson (RFU) & Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Tom Foley (RFU)
South Africa v Wales
Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
ARs: Angus Gardner (RA) & Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
Argentina v Scotland
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
ARs: Mathieu Raynal (FFR) & Tual Trainini (FFR)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)
Georgia v Portugal
Referee: Luc Ramos (FFR)
ARs: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR) & Sam Grove-White (SRU)
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure (FFR)
USA v Chile – Rugby World Cup Qualifier
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
ARs: Andrea Piardi (FIR) & Chris Micheletti (Can)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (RFU)
Sunday 17 July 2022
Uruguay v Romania
Referee: Pierre Brousset (FFR)
ARs: Neheun Jauri Rivero (UAR) & Gonzalo de Achaval (UAR)
TMO: TBC (UAR)
Saturday 23 July 2022
Tonga v Asia Rugby Championship Winner (Korea/Hong Kong) – Rugby World Cup Qualifier
Referee: TBC
ARs: RA appointment & RA appointment
TMO: James Leckie (RA)
OMG Dickson in NZ I hope his refereeing improves before he takes on this test. His last effort in November was appalling and he showed himself up as having a poor understanding of the laws. He is by far the poorest of the English referees but I suppose some country has to suffer no matter where he is appointed.
WOW I am impressed. SA VS Wales. No SA referee, not even a TMO = Fare game.
This makes no sense. Of course there isn’t a SA ref or TMO on an SA international game!