A shorter list this weekend as we’re now in off-season in the south, and it’s international window in the north. But that doesn’t mean the referees, ARs and TMOs get time off! In some cases, it sees them doubling up.
In New Zealand, the Rugby World Cup semi-finals will be refereed by Aimee Barrett-Theron (pic top left) and Joy Neville (top right). Will one of them progress to the final next weekend, or will that honour go to someone else? There’s some healthy competition for sure! We’ll bring you that news when we get it!
One other obvious shout out this weekend goes to Wayne Barnes (bottom left) – taking charge of his 100th test in Cardiff as Wales host the All Blacks. Only one other referee has hit the 100 mark, and next weekend sees Barnes overtake Nigel Owens when he becomes the most capped international referee of all time. At the other end of the international refs experience scale, Christophe Ridley (Eng) takes charge of his first 6N team as Italy host Samoa, while in Romania, Sam Grove-White (Sco) referees their match with Chile. Both ones to watch for 2027 I’d have thought.
With the international referees on duty around the world (RWC Final Qualifier Tournament in Dubai and at the World 7s in Hong Kong) that leaves a chance for some game time for the next crop of referees in domestic leagues. In the Top 14, Benoit Rousselet (bottom right) picks up the Lyon/Castre match (Jonathan Dufort has a ProD2 match and a Top14 game (Thurs & Sunday), and in the Premiership, there’s whistle time for Andrew Jackson, Hamish Smales and Jack Makepeace. We’ve also got Rugby Europe internationals, RFU Championship and Scotland’s Women’s Premiership appointments as well.
Good luck everyone
Keith
Rugby World Cup 21 semi-finals
Canada v England Roses
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU)
ARs: Aurélie Groizeleau (FFR) & Maggie Cogger-Orr (NZR)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
NZ Black Ferns v France
Referee: Joy Neville (IRFU)
ARs: Sara Cox (RFU) & Amber McLachlan (RA)
TMO: Ian Tempest (RFU)
RWC23 Final Qualifier Tournament – rd 1
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)
Autumn Imternationals
Ireland A v All Blacks XV
Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
ARs: Adam Leal (RFU) & Luc Ramos (FFR)
TMO: Ian Davies (WRU)
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 (GEO)
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 Makepeace (RFU)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
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)
Rugby Europe Internationals
Rugby Europe Trophy (Men’s)
Sweden v Switzerland
Refeee: Inaki Munoz-Martin (SPA)
ARs: P. Perez (SPA) & G. Pardo (SPA)
Lithuania v Ukraine
Referee: Sulkhan Chikhladze (GEO)
ARs: S Japaridze (GEO) & K. Gelozia (GEO)
Rugby Europe Conference 1
Bulgaria v Israel
Referee: Valeriu Chipercean (MDA)
Rugby Europe Trophy (Women’s)
Germany v Czech Republic
Referee: Maria Heitor (POR)
England: Gallagher Premiership – round 9
Northampton Saints v Exeter Chiefs
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
ARs: Mike Hudson & Jamie Leahy
TMO: Dean Richards
Newcastle Falcons v Bath Rugby
Referee: Hamish Smales
ARs: James Clarke & Gareth Holsgrove
TMO: Dean Richards
Sale Sharks v Gloucester Rugby
Referee: Andrew Jackson
ARs: Wayne Falla & John Meredith
TMO: Rowan Kitt
Bristol Bears v Saracens
Referee: Jack Makepeace
ARs: Mike Hudson & Peter Allan
TMO: Adam Leal
England: RFU Championship Cup – Round 1
London Scottish v Bedford Blues
Referee: Simon Harding
ARs: Hamish Grant & Mike Woods
Caldy v Ampthill
Referee: George Selwood
ARs: Ian Bibey & Ryan Collier
Doncaster Knights v Coventry
Referee: Charlie Gayther
ARs: Simon Park & James Cornell
Richmond v Cornish Pirates
Referee: Neil Chivers
ARs: Simon Adams & Peter Brunt
Nottingham v Jersey Reds
Referee: Hamish Grant
ARs: Gregg Dawson & Andrew Ashwell
Ealing Trailfinders v Hartpury University
Referee: Alex Thomas
ARs: Darryl Chapman & Lionel Spooner
France: Top 14 – round 10
Stade Toulousain v Stade Français Paris
Referee: Adrien Descottes
ARs: M.Noirot & N.Bridoux
TMO: P.Bonhoure
ASM Clermont v Aviron Bayonnais
Referee: Pierre Baptiste Nuchy
ARs: T.Chereque & P.Puharre
TMO: P.Dellac
CA Brive v Stade Rochelais
Referee: Vivien Praderie
ARs: H.Lasausa lespy labaylette & C.Coussan
TMO: E.Gauzins
Racing 92 v USA Perpignan
Referee: Vincent Blasco baque
ARs: D.Beun & R.Duhau
TMO: C.Marchat
LOU Rugby v Castres Olympique
Referee: Benoit Rousselet
ARs: B.Hernandez & F.Masse
TMO: E.BRIQUET CAMPIN
Section Paloise v Union Bordeaux-Bègles
Referee: Jonathan Dufort
ARs: J.LESPES & L.Millotte
TMO: L.Sclafer
RC Toulon v Montpellier Hérault
Referee: Thomas Charabas
ARs: F.Hourquet & S.Crapoix
TMO: D.Grenouillet
France: ProD2 – Round 10
Soyaux-Angoulême XV v SU Agen
Referee: Jonathan Dufort
ARs: EVAN URRUZMENDI & Benoit Escoubet
TMO: Nicolas Datas
US Carcassonne v FC Grenoble Rugby
Referee: Mathieu Noirot
ARs: P.Julien & B.Lapassade
TMO: J.Rebollal
Oyonnax Rugby v Rouen Normandie
Referee: Cyrille BOULAY
ARs: B.BEURIOT & D.Daste
TMO: C.Lafon
USON Nevers v RC Vannes
Referee: Thomas Chereque
ARs: D.Beun & M.Gharbi tarchouna
TMO: C.Berdos
US Montalbanaise v RC Massy Essonne
Referee: Stephan Coulon
ARs: F.Bouzac & D.Dayre
TMO: M.Zitouni
AS Béziers Hérault v Provence Rugby
Referee: Jean LESPES
ARs: B.Hernandez & F.Hand
TMO: A.Hadj bachir
Stade Montois Rugby v Colomiers Rugby
Referee: Herve Lasausa lespy labaylette
ARs: L.Sacarot & S.Desvaux
TMO: B.Bessot
Biarritz Olympique PB v Stade Aurillacois
Referee: Pierre Bru
ARs: F.Hourquet & S.Jaymes
TMO: P.Pechambert
Scotland: Tennnets Premiership Women’s
Hillhead Jordahill WRFC v Heriot’s Blues Women
Referee: David Young
ARs: Michael Milner & Stephen Ward
Corstorphine Cougars v Watsonians WRFC
Referee: MAry Pringle
ARs: Allana McLean & Beatriz Casares-Fernandez
Garioch WRFC v Stirling County WRFC
Referee: Malcolm Pratt
ARs: Michael Bosman & Digby Thomas