With a week to go till the Rugby World Cup kicks off in Auckland, there’s no international rugby this weekend. But the referees on the domestic scene are all still active. In France, there’s a referee debut in the Top 14 as Jeremy Rozier referees Brive v Bayonne. He may be more familiar to you 7s watchers, having been on the World Series circuit for a couple of years, while developing through the ProD2 in the XVs game. Go well, Jeremy!
There’s one less game to go round in the Premiership this week after the sad demise of Worcester. Matt Carley (bottom right) has the repeat of last year’s final as Saracens host Leicester.
We welcome back our friends in Hong Kong after a two year break after Covid. We have the mens and women’s premiership appointments from there and good to see Gabi Lee (bottom left)refereeing Gai Wu Falcons v DAC Kowloon Ladies. As well as the URC, France, Wales, RFU Champs and New Zealand’s officials, I’m also pleased to highlight the Championship Finals from Finland this week. George Mossford (pic top right) will referee the men’s final (Helsinki v Warriors) with Mathias Solana refereeing the women’s final (Helsinki v Tampere). Good luck George and Mathias
Enjoy your weekend, folks!
Keith
France: Top 14 – Round 5
Union Bordeaux-Bègles v Stade Français Paris
Referee: Benoit Rousselet
ARs: V.Blasco baque & N.Bridoux
TMO: P.Pechambert
ASM Clermont v Lou Rugby
Referee: Tual Trainini
ARs: J.Castaignede & C.Coussan
TMO: E.BRIQUET CAMPIN
CA Brive v Aviron Bayonnais
Referee: Jeremy Rozier (debut)
ARs: L.Cayre & S.Crapoix
TMO: D.Grenouillet
Section Paloise v RC Toulon
Referee: Luc Ramos
ARs: A.MARBOT & TBC & Arbitre nº4
TMO: C.Marchat
USA Perpignan v Castres Olympique
Referee: Pierre Brousset
ARs: S.Minery & S.Boyer
TMO: P.Dellac
Stade Rochelais v Racing 92
Referee: Pierre Baptiste Nuchy
ARs: V.Praderie & R.Duhau
TMO: N.Datas
Montpellier Hérault Rugby v Stade Toulousain
Referee: Mathieu Raynal
ARs: A.Descottes & C.Bats
TMO: P.Bonhoure
NZ: Bunnings Warehouse NPC
Hawke’s Bay v Tasman
Referee: Nick Briant
ARs: Nick Hogan & Stu Catley
TMO: Sheldon Eden-Whaitiri
Southland v North Harbour
Referee: James Doleman
ARs: Sam Nicholson & Taylor Swan
TMO: Steve Nicholson
Auckland v Taranaki
Referee: Brendon Pickerill
ARs: Tim Oliff & Richard Loten
TMO: Rob Harman
Otago v Canterbury
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
ARs: Caleb Neilson & Logan Whitty
TMO: Chris Hart
Counties Manukau v Wellington
Referee: Cam Stone
ARs: Brandon Roberts & Rob Shore
TMO: John Wright
Northland v Manawatu
Referee: Angus Mabey
ARs: Jaco Cronje & Rob Rush
TMO: Duane Wells
Waikato v Bay of Plenty
Referee: Paul Williams
ARs: Mike Winter & Ben Woolerton
TMO: Aaron Paterson
NZ: Heartland Championship
Buller v King Country
Referee: Dan Moore
ARs: Aidan Barnett & Gareth Allen
East Coast v Wairarapa-Bush
Referee: Andy Morton
Horowhenua-Kapiti v Whanganui
Referee: Stu Curran
Mid Canterbury v South Canterbury
Referee: Fraser Hannon
North Otago v West Coast
Referee: George Haswell
Poverty Bay v Thames Valley
Referee: Marcus Playle
England: Gallagher Premiership
Newcastle Falcons v Bristol Bears
Referee: Luke Pearce
ARs: Adam Leal & John Meredith
TMO: Andrew Jackson
Sale Sharks v Exeter Chiefs
Referee: Wayne Barnes
ARs: Anthony Woodthorpe & Wayne Falla
TMO: David Rose
Saracens v Leicester Tigers
Referee: Matthew Carley
ARs: Hamish Smales & Greg Macdonald
TMO: Rowan Kitt
London Irish v Bath Rugby
Referee: Karl Dickson
ARs: Dan Jones & James Clarke
TMO: Claire Hodnett
Harlequins v Northampton Saints
Referee: Christophe Ridley
ARs: Joe James & Gareth Holsgrove
TMO: Dean Richards
England: RFU Championship
Jersey Reds v Cornish Pirates
Referee: Harry Walbaum
ARs: Darryl Chapman & Dean Richards
Nottingham v Doncaster Knights
Referee: George Selwood
ARs: Ian Bibey & James Pidding
Bedford Blues v Caldy
Referee: Simon Harding
ARs: Peter Brunt & Simon Adams
Richmond v Hartpury University
Referee: Alex Thomas
ARs: Neil Chivers & Michael Woods
Coventry v Ealing Trailfinders
Referee: Andrew Jackson
ARs: Gregg Dawson & Ryan Collier
Ampthill v London Scottish
Referee: Hamish Grant
ARs: Simon Park & Shane Lewis
Premiership Cup (5 Oct)
Northampton Saints v Saracens
Referee: Andrew Jackson
ARs: Charlie Gayther & Alex Thomas
Hong Kong: Nan Fung Group/SEWIT Men’s Premiership
Natixis HKFC v Kroll USRC Tigers
Referee: Morgan White (10th Prem appointment)
ARs: Shane Barr & Francesco Cammisa
Impact HK HKU Sandy Bay v Societe Generale Valley
Referee: Sam Brown (6th Prem appointment)
ARs: Jacques Rossouw & Edward Fitzgerald
KPMG HK Scottish v DAC Kowloon
Referee: Craig Chan (15th Prem appointment)
ARs: Matt Rodden & Stephen Copeman
Hong Kong: Nan Fung Group/SEWIT Women’s Premiership
Natixis HKFC Ice v Kroll USRC Tigers Ladies
Referee: Francesco Cammisa (11th WPrem appointment)
ARs: Thomas Ngan & Jackie Ho
Gai Wu Falcons v DAC Kowloon Ladies
Referee: Gabriel Lee (47th WPrem appointment)
ARs: Evans Lam & Allen Judge
SCAA Causeway Bay Phoenix v Societe Generale Valley RFC
Referee: Sam Chan (12th WPrem appointment)
ARs: Jan Tang & Sunny Lee
BKT United Rugby Championship – Round 3
Vodacom Bulls v Connacht
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR, 26th league game)
ARs: Cwengile Jadezweni (SARU) & Griffin Colby (SARU)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
Cardiff Rugby v Emirates Lions
Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU, 26th league game)
ARs: Craig Evans (WRU) & Carwyn Williams (WRU)
TMO: Ben Blain (SRU)
Ulster v Leinster
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU, 81st league game)
ARs: Eoghan Cross (IRFU) & Andrew Cole (IRFU)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)
DHL Stormers v Edinburgh Rugby
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU, 65th league game)
ARs: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU) & Stephan Geldenhuys (SARU)
TMO: Adam Jones (WRU)
Ospreys v Glasgow Warriors
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU, 12th league game)
ARs: Ben Breakspear (WRU) & Carwyn Williams (WRU)
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)
Munster v Zebre Parma
Referee : AJ Jacobs (SARU, 12th league game)
ARs: Peter Martin (IRFU) & Robbie Jenkinson (IRFU)
TMO: Sean Brickell (WRU)
Benetton v Scarlets
Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU, 24th league game)
ARs: Filippo Russo (FIR) & Alberto Favaro (FIR)
TMO: Colin Stanley (IRFU)
Dragons RFC v Cell C Sharks
Referee: Ben Blain (SRU, 22nd league game)
ARs: Gwyn Morris (WRU) & Elwyn Morris Roberts (WRU)
TMO: Sam Grove-White (SRU)
Finland: Men’s Championship Final
Helsinki v Warriors
Referee: George Mossford
ARs: Mathias Solana & Alessandro Begnoni
Finland: Women’s Championship Final
Helsinki v Tampere
Referee: Mathias Solana
ARs: Stevan Thorne & Alessandro Begnoni
Finland: Promotion/Relegation decider
Jyväskylä v Tampere
Referee: Thierry Demoulin
ARs: Stevan Thorne & Janne Lumme
Wales: Indigo Premiership – round 5
Bridgend v Merthyr
Referee: Ben Breakspear
ARs: Jason Bessant & Gareth Davies
TMO: Wayne Davies
Llanelli RFC v RGC
Referee: Stephen Allsop
ARs: Elfyn Morris-Roberts & Greg Morgan
Swansea RFC v Pontypridd RFC
Referee: Ian Davies
ARs: Elliot Mayor & Chris Oliver
Cardiff RFC v Ebbw Vale RFC
Referee: Mike English
ARs: Aaron Parry & Mark Butcher
Aberavon RFC v Camarthen RFC
Referee: Dewi Phillips
ARs: Lewis Harrison & Richard Brace
Llandovery RFC v Newport RFC
Referee: Aled Evans
ARs: Tom Spurrier & Gareth Davies