- England’s Wayne Barnes to reach 100-test milestone with Wales v New Zealand
- Barnes to set new record of 101 tests when he takes charge of France v South Africa
- Appointments also made for Final Qualification Tournament that completes the Rugby World Cup 2023 line-up
Wayne Barnes, who made his international debut in Fiji in June 2006, will become only the second referee to reach a century of tests when he takes charge of Wales v New Zealand at the Principality Stadium on 5 November.
The Englishman will then overtake his friend, Nigel Owens, to set an outright record of 101 tests when he referees the match between Six Nations Grand Slam winners France and world champions South Africa in Paris a week later.
World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont led the tributes to Barnes, “Congratulations to Wayne on his selection and pending record. To be so good for so long as a referee is no easy feat. Wayne Barnes, like Nigel Owens before him, reaches 100 tests by being not just a fantastic referee, but a great team player, a student of the game and someone who is greatly respected by players, coaches and fans alike.”
In total, 23 match officials representing 10 nations will take charge of the 37 November tests announced so far. The appointments also include the RWC 2023 Final Qualification Tournament in Dubai, where the 20th team will be confirmed for next year’s tournament.
Referee highlights
- Jaco Peyper (South Africa) will referee two matches in November, which brings up his 60th test in Ireland v Fiji on 12 November
- Luke Pearce takes charge his 40th test match – Scotland v Australia on 29 October
- Christophe Ridley (England) will referee his first test involving a Six Nations team with Italy v Samoa on 5 November
- Andrea Piardi (Italy) also referees a Six Nations team for the first time with his appointment for Wales v Georgia on 19 November
World Rugby Selection Committee Chairman Graham Mourie said, “I would like to echo Bill Beaumont’s congratulations regarding Wayne’s impending milestone. Wayne is a role model, a leader and an outstanding match official, he thoroughly deserves what will be a fine record.
“As we move towards next year’s Rugby World Cup, as a group we are constantly challenging ourselves to be better, to achieve greater consistency and clarity of decision-making. There is a great work ethic within the team, and we will continue to ensure that safety, speed and space is our priority.”
Congratulations to Wayne and all the officials appointed in this key window!
Autumn internationals
1 October 2022
Japan XV v Australia A
Referee: Reuben Keane (RA)
ARs: Takehito Namekawa (JRFU) & Tasuku Kawahara (JRFU)
TMO: Minoru Fuji (JRFU)
8 October 2022
Japan XV v Australia A
Referee: Takehito Namekawa (JRFU)
ARs: Katsuki Furuse (JRFU) & Shuhei Kubo (JRFU)
TMO: Tomohiro Koyama (JRFU)
14 October 2022
Japan XV v Australia A
Referee: Angus Mabey (NZR)
ARs: Katsuki Furuse (JRFU) & Tasuku Kawahara (JRFU)
TMO: Shuhei Kubo (JRFU)
29 October 2022
Japan v New Zealand
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
ARs: Jordan Way (RA) & Graham Cooper (RA)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)
Scotland v Australia
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
ARs: Karl Dickson (RFU) & Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (RFU)
4 November 2022
Ireland A v All Blacks XV
Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
ARs: Adam Leal (RFU) & Luc Ramos (FFR)
TMO: Ian Davies (WRU)
5 November 2022
Spain v Tonga
Referee: Damon Murphy (RA)
ARs: Ludovic Cayre (FFR) & Adrien Marbot (FFR)
Scotland v Fiji
Referee: Nic Berry (RA)
ARs: James Doleman (NZR) & Adam Jones (WRU)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
Italy v Samoa
Referee: Christophe Ridley (RFU)
ARs: Luke Pearce (RFU) & Katlil Harrison (USA)
TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR)
Wales v New Zealand
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
ARs: Karl Dickson (RFU) & Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)
Ireland v South Africa
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (IRFU)
ARs: Mathieu Raynal (FFR) & Andrea Piardi (FIR)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (RFU)
France v Australia
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU)
ARs: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR) & Craig Evans (WRU)
TMO: Tom Foley (RFU)
Romania v Chile
Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU)
ARs: Ben Blain (SRU) & Jack Make peace (RFU)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
6 November 2022
Georgia v Uruguay
Referee: Paul Williams (NZR)
ARs: Anthony Woodthorpe (RFU) & Talal Chaudhry (RC)
TMO: Chris Hart (NZR)
England v Argentina
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
ARs: Frank Murphy (IRFU) & Pierre Brousset (FFR)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)
10 November 2022
Munster v South Africa Select XV
Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU)
ARs: Adam Jones (WRU) & Ben Blain (SRU)
TMO: Sam Grove-White (SRU)
12 November 2022
Georgia v Samoa
Referee: Damon Murphy (RA)
ARs: Ludovic Cayre (FFR) & Talal Chaudhry (RC)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
Romania v Uruguay
Referee: Pierre Brousset (FFR)
ARs: Adrien Marbot (FFR) & Jean Baptiste Nuchy (FFR)
TMO: Sean Brickell (WRU)
Spain v Namibia
Referee: Paul Williams (NZR)
ARs: Shota Tevzadze (GRU) & Kahlil Harrison (USA)
England v Japan
Referee: James Doleman (NZR)
ARs: Nic Berry (RA) & Craig Evans (WRU)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
Ireland v Fiji
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU) Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
ARs: Tual Trainini (FFR) & Jordan Way (RA)
TMO: Chris Hart (NZR)
Italy v Australia
Referee: Brendon Pickerill (NZR)
ARs: Mathieu Raynal (FFR) Andrew Brace (IRFU) & Adam Leal (RFU)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)
Wales v Argentina
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
ARs: Angus Gardner (RA) & Andrea Piardi (FIR)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
France v South Africa
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
ARs: Karl Dickson (RFU) & Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)
Tonga v Chile (in Bucharest, Romania)
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
ARs: Luc Ramos (FFR) & Ben Blain (SRU)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
Netherlands v Canada
Referee: Adam Jones (WRU)
ARs: Vivien Praderie (FFR) & Benoit Rousselet (FFR)
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure (FFR)
13 November 2022
All Blacks XV v Barbarians
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
ARs: Sam Grove-White (SRU) & Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
Scotland v New Zealand
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU)
ARs: Andrew Brace (IRFU) & Chris Busby (IRFU)
TMO: Tom Foley (RFU)
17 November 2022
South Africa Select XV v Bristol Bears (at Ashton Gate, Bristol)
Referee: Adam Jones (WRU)
ARs: Ben Breakspear (WRU) & Rhys Jones (WRU)
TMO: Ian Davies (WRU)
19 November 2022
Tonga v Uruguay (in Bucharest)
Referee: Craig Evans (WRU)
ARs: Luc Ramos (FFR) & Anthony Woodthorpe (RFU)
TMO: Sean Brickell (WRU)
Romania v Samoa (in Bucharest)
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
ARs: Eoghan Cross (IRFU) & Shota Tevzadze (GRU)
TMO: Thomas Charabas (FFR)
England v New Zealand
Referee: Nic Berry (RA)
ARs: Damon Murphy (RA) & Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)
Wales v Georgia
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)
ARs: Pierre Brousset (FFR) & Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR)
Italy v South Africa
Referee: Mathew Carley (RFU)
ARs: Wayne Barnes (RFU) & Sam Grove-White (SRU)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
Scotland v Argentina
Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU)
ARs: Luke Pearce (RFU) & Ian Tempest (RFU)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
Ireland v Australia
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
ARs: James Doleman (NZR) & Tual Trainini (FFR)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (RFU)
French Barbarians v Fiji (in Lille)
Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU)
ARs: Ben Blain (SRU) & Adrien Marbot (FFR)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
Namibia v Canda (in Amsterdam)
Referee: Jordan Way (RA)
ARs: Ludovic Cayre (FFR) & Benoit Rousselet (FFR)
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure (FFR)
Sunday, 20 November 2022
France v Japan
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
ARs: Frank Murphy (IRFU) & Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU)
26 November 2022
England v South Africa
Referee: Angus Gardner (RA)
ARs: Andrew Brace (IRFU) & Pierre Brousset (FFR)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
Wales v Australia
Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
ARs: Luke Pearce (RFU) & Chris Busby (IRFU)
TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU)
RWC 2023 Final Qualification Tournament
All games in Dubai
6 November 2022
USA v Kenya
Referee: Tual Trainini (FFR)
ARs: Damian Schneider (UAR) & Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)
Portugal v Hong Kong
Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU)
ARs: Damian Schneider (UAR) & Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)
12 November 2022
Portugal v Kenya
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
ARs: Damian Schneider (UAR) & AJ Jacobs (SARU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)
USA v Hong Kong
Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
ARs: Damian Schneider (UAR) & AJ Jacobs (SARU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)
18 November 2022
Hong Kong v Kenya
Referee: Angus Gardner (RA)
ARs: Damian Schneider (UAR) & AJ Jacobs (SARU)
TMO: Chris Hart (NZR)
USA v Portugal
Referee: Paul Williams (NZR)
ARs: Damian Schneider (UAR) & AJ Jacobs (SARU)
TMO: Chris Hart (NZR)