The big game of the weekend is in Dubai, where the final qualifier for Rugby World Cup 23 will be determined. It will either be the USA or Portugal who play each other in the final pool match of the mini-tournament. New Zealand’s Paul Williams (pic top left) will referee it, with Angus Gardner overseeing the other match in the pool (HK v Kenya).
The penultimate weekend of the Autumn Nations Series sees some interesting matches. On paper, England v the All Blacks is the tie of the weekend, with Mathieu Raynal (top right) now refereeing it. Australia’s Nic Berry had to rush back home for personal reasons earlier in the week, which has led to some rejigging around the original appointments.
Outside of the internationals, it’s the opening weekend of the Allianz Premier 15s in England, as the top women’s league restarts after the World Cup’s climax last weekend. It’s good to see the refereeing appointments for the league seeing a step up in personnel, with familiar Premiership referees Adam Leal and Hamish Smales (bottom left) both on duty in round one. After a few weeks off, the ProD2 returns in France with league leaders Oyonnax being refereed by one of France’s rising match officials, Evan Urruzmendi (bottom right) We also have the match official appointments for the Cup comps in England, and league action in Hong Kong, Wales and Scotland.
Have a good rugby-filled weekend
Keith
Rugby World Cup Final Qualifier Tournament
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)
Autumn International Series
England v New Zealand
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
ARs: Damon Murphy (Australia) & Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)
Romania v Samoa
Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)
ARs: Eoghan Cross (Ireland) & Shota Tevzadze (Georgia)
TMO: Thomas Charabas (France)
France v Japan
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
ARs: Frank Murphy (Ireland) & Chris Busby (Ireland)
TMO: Joy Neville (Ireland)
South Africa Select XV v Bristol Bears (at Ashton Gate, Bristol)
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
ARs: Ben Breakspear (WRU) & Rhys Jones (WRU)
TMO: Ian Davies (WRU)
Tonga v Uruguay (in Bucharest)
Referee: Craig Evans (WRU)
ARs: Luc Ramos (FFR) & Anthony Woodthorpe (RFU)
TMO: Sean Brickell (WRU)
Wales v Georgia
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)
ARs: Pierre Brousset (FFR) & Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR)
Italy v South Africa
Referee: Matthew 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) & Benoit Rousselet (FFR)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
Namibia v Canada (in Amsterdam)
Referee: Jordan Way (RA)
ARs: Ludovic Cayre (FFR) & Benoit Rousselet (FFR)
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure (FFR)
Hong Kong: Nan Fung Group/SEWIT Women’s Premiership – Round 7
DAC Kowloon v Natixis HKFC Ice
Referee: Nic Futter (8th WPrem appointment)
ARs: Francesco Cammisa & Anthony Law
SCAA Causeway Bay Phoenix v Gai Wu Falcons
Referee: Sam Chan (16th WPrem appointment)
ARs: Thomas Ngan & Craig Chan
Societe Generale Valley v Kroll USRC Tigers
Referee: Morgan White (16th WPrem appointment)
ARs: Sunny Lee & Allen Judge
England: Friendlies
Harlequins v Barbarians (17 Nov)
Referee: Mike Hudson
ARs: Neil Chivers & Mike Woods
Bath Rugby v Barbarians (20 Nov)
Referee: Andrew Jackson
ARs: Ryan Collier & Peter Brunt
England: Premiership Cup
Sale Sharks v Harlequins
Referee: Jack Makepeace
ARs: Andrew Jackson & Jamie Leahy
Saracens v Leicester Tigers
Referee: Joe James
ARs: Jonathan Cook & Gareth Holsgrove
Gloucester Rugby v Bristol Bears
Referee: Harry Walbaum
ARs: Calum Howard & Mike Woods
Newcastle Falcons v Northampton Saints
Referee: Dan Jones
ARs: Mike Hudson & Gregg Dawson
England: RFU Championship Cup
Richmond v Caldy
Referee: Neil Chivers
ARs: Craig Maxwell-Keys & Ryan Collier
Hartpury University v Nottingham
Referee: Alex Thomas
ARs: Phil Watters & Darryl Chapman
Ealing Trailfinders v Jersey Reds
Referee: Simon Harding
ARs: James Clarke & Jamie Leahy
Doncaster Knights v Bedford Blues
Referee: Hamish Grant
ARs: Simon Adams & Simon Park
Coventry v London Scottish
Referee: Greg Macdonald
ARs: Peter Brunt & Peter Allan
Cornish Pirates v Ampthill
Referee: Nick Wood
ARs: Jonathan Healy & Kevin Williams
England: Allianz Premier 15s
Sale Sharks Women v DMP Sharks
Referee: Iain Kiy
ARs: Rebecca Rees & Fiona Brunt
Exeter Chiefs Women v Gloucester-Hartpury Women
Referee: Charles Gayther
ARs: Kevin Williams & Dean Richards
Bristol Bears Women v Wasps Women
Referee: Hamish Smales
ARs: Rebecca Piddlesden & Lionel Spooner
Saracens Women v Loughborough Lightning
Referee: Holly Wood
ARs: Darryl Chapman & Ben Mcnamara
Harlequins Women v Uni of Worcester Warriors Women
Referee: Adam Leal
ARs: Jeff Highcock & Bill Burton
France: ProD2 – round 11
Provence Rugby v Stade Montois Rugby
Referee: Mathieu Noirot
ARs: P.Bru & F.Masse
TMO: E.BRIQUET CAMPIN
RC Massy Essonne v Biarritz Olympique PB
Referee: David Beun
ARs: M.Simon & B.Lapassade
TMO: L.Sclafer
FC Grenoble Rugby v Soyaux-Angoulême XV
Referee: Cyrille Boulay
ARs: R.Guatelli & S.Desvaux
TMO: C.Lafon
Rouen Normandie Rugby v US Carcassonne
Referee: Herve Lasausa lespy labaylette
ARs: J.LESPES & F.Hand
TMO: J.Rebollal
Colomiers Rugby v US Montalbanaise
Referee: Adrien Descottes
ARs: L.Sacarot & C.Bultet
TMO: M.Zitouni
RC Vannes v AS Béziers Hérault
Referee: Sebastien Minery
ARs: A.Laloo & N.ROCHE
TMO: D.Grenouillet
Stade Aurillacois v USON Nevers
Referee: Benjamin Hernandez
ARs: A.LAC & S.Brayelle
TMO: A.Hadj bachir
SU Agen v Oyonnax Rugby
Referee: Evan Urruzmendi
ARs: F.Hourquet & C.Bats
TMO: N.Datas
Wales: Indigo Premiership – Round 11
Cardiff RFC v Swansea RFC
Referee: Dewi Phillips
ARs: Elgan Williams & Stewart Kibble
TMO: Greg Morgan
Ebbw Vale RFC v Carmarthen RFC
Referee: Jason Bessant
ARs: Carwyn Williams & Neil Perkins
Newport RFC v Pontypridd RFC
Referee: Gareth Newman
ARs: Aled Evans & Gwyn Morris
Llandovery RFC v Bridgend RFC
Referee: Eliott Mayor
ARs: Aaron Parry & Neil Jones
RGC v Aberavon RFC
Referee: Mike English
ARs: Ed Brown & Jenny Davies
Scotland: Tennents Premiership (Men’s)
Selkirk v Jed Forest
Referee: Ross Mabon
ARs: Tom French & Bob Nevins
Currie Chieftains v Edinburgh Academical
Referee: Sam O’Neil
ARs: Grego McIntosh & Alistair Watt
Hawick v Musselburgh
Referee: Calum Worsley
ARs: Calum Wehmeyer & Digby Thomas
Glasgow Hawks v GHA
Referee: Finlay Brown
ARs: Gordon Galasham & David Changleng
Marr v Heriot’s Blues
Referee: David Sutherland
ARs: Lee Fish & Stephen Ward
Tennents Premiership (Women’s)
Garioch WRFC v Cartha Queens Park WRFC
Referee: Grant Stephen
ARs: Allana McLean & Andrew Laing