The Rugby Championship for 2022 starts this week and Mike Adamson (pic top left) and Angus Gardner (top right) will be the referees in charge in Argentina and South Africa respectively. Adamson becomes the first Scot to referee in this competition (or its predecessor versions) since Jim Fleming in 1999. The TRC will be using the controversial 20 minute card replacement once again, just months after World Rugby decided not to take it forward at a global level.
Elsewhere, we have the New Zealand’s men’s provincial championships kicking off on Friday night (local time). Dan Waenga (bottom left) controls the first match of 2022, Manawatu v Canterbury. And Natarsha Ganley (bottom right) returns to the Farah Palmer Cup as Waikato host Bay of Plenty.
Enjoy your weekend!
Keith
2022 The Rugby Championship – round 1
South Africa v New Zealand
Referee: Angus Gardner (Aus)
ARs: Luke Pearce (Eng) & Christophe Ridley (Eng)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Aus)
Argentina v Australia
Referee: Mike Adamson (Sco)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Chris Busby (Ire)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
New Zealand: National Provincial Championship – round 1
Manawatu v Canterbury
Referee: Dan Waenga
ARs: Stu Curran & Matty McEwen
TMO: Carl Baker
Counties Manukau v Otago
Referee: Brendon Pickerill
ARs: Rob Shore & Nigel Bradley
TMO: John Wright
Waikato v Hawke’s Bay
Referee: Nick Briant
ARs: Grant Stuart & Tim Baker
TMO: Aaron Paterson
Auckland v North Harbour
Referee: James Doleman
ARs: Marcus Playle & Richard Loten
TMO: Ben Deakin
Tasman v Southland
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
ARs: Ben Alexander & Vaughan Warburton
TMO: Cory Eggers
Taranaki v Northland
Referee: Jono Bredin
ARs: Cam Stone & Will Johnston
TMO: Richard Kelly
Wellington v Bay Of Plenty
Referee: Paul Williams
ARs: Jack Sargentina & Tomas Roche
TMO: Jared Clarke
Manawatu v Auckland
Referee: Mike Fraser
ARs: Stu Curran & Sam Couper
TMO: Carl Baker
Farah Palmer Cup – round 4
Counties Manukau v Canterbury
Referee: Ben Woolerton
ARs: John Wright & Liam Sargent
Auckland v Manawatu
Referee: Fraser Hannon
ARs: Geoff Willmott & Adam Booker
Waikato v Bay Of Plenty
Referee: Natarsha Ganley
ARs: Ben Brownlie & Nico Fox
Northland v Hawke’s Bay
Referee: Erin Doherty
ARs: Jaco Cronje & Nathan Chestnut
Taranaki v Otago
Referee: Georgia Mason
ARs: Mitch Young & Chris Morrison
Tasman v North Harbour
Referee: Larissa Woolerton
ARs: Brad Evans & Moeka Koyama
