Another December week, and another round of World 7s takes place, this time in Cape Town where the men’s and women’s match officials have all headed. In mainly colder climes, the 2022-23 European Champions and Challenge Cups kick off with new teams from South Africa. Wayne Barnes (pic top left) is off to Clermont as they play host to the DHL Stormers for the first time. There’s a full list of referees, ARs and TMOs on the move around the competition.
We also have the referees and ARs for the RFU Championship and Allianz Premier 15s in England with Katherine Richie (top right) refereeing Harlequins Women who take on the Sale Sharks. In South Wales, Simon Rees will be overseeing the Welsh Premiership match between Swansea RFC and Llandovery RFC. The visitors are hoping to close the gap between them and league leaders Cardiff. They play Aberavon tonight with Ben Whitehouse escaping the TMO truck for a run around with the whistle. In France, there’s no Top14 this week, but a full run of ProD2 matches. The officials with one of the longest names in refereeing, Herve Lasausa lespy labaylette (bottom right) takes charge of the Massy Essonne v Colomiers Rugby match up in SW Paris. We’ve also got the men’s Premiership appointments in Hong Kong to round things off. Am expecting Scottish Premiership appointments to be added tomorrow.
Enjoy your weekend, take care and keep warm if you’re in Europe where a cold snap is set!
Keith
World Seven Series – Cape Town
Women’s: Finlay Brown (SRU), Craig Chan (HKRU), Talal Chaudhry (RC), Eki Fanlo (FER), Cisco Lopez (USA), Kat Roche (USA) & Precious Pazani (Zimbabwe)
Men’s: Jordan Way (RA), Reuben Keane (RA), Tevita Rokovereni (FRU), Ben Breakspear (WRU), AJ Jacobs (SARU), Adam Leal (RFU), Paulo Duarte (FPR), Morne Ferreira (SARU), Francisco Gonzalez (URU), Nick Hogan (NZR)
European Champions Cup – Round 1
London Irish v Montpellier Hérault Rugby
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Ita)
ARs: Federico Vedovelli (Ita) & Clara Munarini (Ita)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
Cell C Sharks v Harlequins
Referee: Tual Trainini (Fra)
ARs: Pierre Brousset (Fra) & Benoit Rousselet (Fra)
TMO: Thomas Charabas (Fra)
Racing 92 v Leinster Rugby
Referee: Luke Pearce (Eng)
ARs: Harry Walbaum (Eng) & John Meredith (Eng)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (Eng)
Gloucester Rugby v Union Bordeaux-Bègles
Referee: Craig Evans (Wal)
ARs: Mike English (Wal) & Rhys Jones (Wal)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)
ASM Clermont Auvergne v DHL Stormers
Referee: Wayne Barnes (Eng)
ARs: Alex Thomas (Eng) & Wayne Falla (Eng)
TMO: Tom Foley (Eng)
Stade Rochelais v Northampton Saints
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ire)
ARs: Peter Martin (Ire) & Oisin Quinn (Ire)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ire)
Vodacom Bulls v Lyon
Referee: Matthew Carley (Eng)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Sara Cox (Eng)
TMO: Ian Tempest (Eng)
Castres Olympique v Exeter Chiefs
Referee: Frank Murphy (Ire)
ARs: Andrew Cole (Ire) & Dan Carson (Ire)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ire)
Sale Sharks v Ulster Rugby
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (Fra)
ARs: Jonathan Dufort (Fra) & Flavien Hourquet (Fra)
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure (Fra)
Saracens v Edinburgh Rugby
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)
ARs: Vincent Blasco Baqué (Fra) & David Beun (Fra)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
Munster Rugby v Stade Toulousain
Referee: Christophe Ridley (Eng)
ARs: Greg Macdonald (Eng) & James Clarke (Eng)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (Eng)
Ospreys v Leicester Tigers
Referee: Ludovic Cayre (Fra)
ARs: Pierre-Baptiste Nuchy (Fra) & Jonathan Gasnier (Fra)
TMO: Eric Briquet-Campin (Fra)
European Challenge Cup – Round 1
Stade Francais Paris v Benetton Rugby
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ire)
ARs: Jonny Erskine (Ire) & Dermot Blake (Ire)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ire)
USAP v Bristol Bears
Referee: Chris Busby (Ire)
ARs: Dan Carson (Ire) & Robbie Jenkinson (Ire)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ire)
Emirates Lions v Dragons RFC
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (Eng)
ARs: Dan Jones (Eng) & George Selwood (Eng)
TMO: Dean Richards (Eng)
Bath Rugby v Glasgow Warriors
Referee: Adrien Marbot (Fra)
ARs: Evan Urruzmendi (Fra) & Stéphane Crapoix (Fra)
TMO: Patrick Dellac (Fra)
Section Paloise v Toyota Cheetahs
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Sco)
ARs: Hollie Davidson (Sco) & Ru Campbell (Sco)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (Sco)
Cardiff Rugby v CA Brive
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)
ARs: Alex Frasson (Ita) & Franco Rosella (Ita)
TMO: Stefano Roscini (Ita)
Connacht Rugby v Newcastle Falcons
Referee: Luc Ramos (Fra)
ARs: Adrien Descottes (Fra) & Thomas Chereque (Fra)
TMO: Denis Grenouillet (Fra)
Zebre Parma v RC Toulon
Referee: Adam Jones (Wal)
ARs: Elgan Williams (Wal) & Mark Butcher (Wal)
TMO: Ian Davies (Wal)
Scarlets v Aviron Bayonnais
Referee: Jack Makepeace (Eng)
ARs: Mike Hudson (Eng) & Charlie Gayther (Eng)
TMO: Steve Leyshon (Eng)
Hong Kong: Nan Fung Group/SEWIT Men’s Premiership
DAC Kowloon v Natixis HKFC Club
Referee: Francesco Cammisa (2nd Prem appointment)
ARs: Sam Brown & Allen Judge
Kroll USRC Tigers v Societe Generale Valley
Referee: Shane Barr (16th Prem appointment)
ARs: Francesco Cammisa & Nic Futter
KPMG HK Scottish v IMPACTHK HKU Sandy Bay
Referee: Matt Rodden (74th Prem Appointment)
ARs: Morgan White & Mark Jackson
England: RFU Championship – round 9
Nottingham v Jersey Reds
Referee: Hamish Smales
ARs: Neil Chivers & Andy Ashwell
Caldy v Cornish Pirates
Referee: Hamish Grant
ARs: Simon Park & Gregg Dawson
Doncaster Knights v London Scottish
Referee: Adam Wookey
ARs: Jamie Leahy & James Cornell
Hartpury University v Coventry
Referee: Charlie Gayther
ARs: Peter Brunt & Kevin Williams
Richmond v Ampthill
Referee: Simon Harding
ARs: Veryan Boscawen & Lionel Spooner
Ealing Trailfinders v Bedford Blues
Referee: Joe James
ARs: Mike Woods & Gareth Holsgrove
Allianz Premier 15s – round 4
Loughborough Lightning v Exeter Chiefs Women
Referee: Owen Taylor
ARs: Simon Adams & Jenny Burrow
University of Worcester Warriors Women v Bristol Bears Women
Referee: Matthew Sharpe
ARs: Ian Bibey & Fiona Brunt
DMP Sharks v Wasps Women
Referee: Jamie Parr
ARs: Rebecca Rees & Mick Harris
Harlequins Women v Sale Sharks Women
Referee: Katherine Ritchie
ARs: Mel Wright & Chris Bartlett
Saracens Women v Gloucester-Hartpury Women’s RFC
Referee: Mike Hudson
ARs: Ryan Collier & Frank Venner
France: ProD2 – Round 14
Agen v Beziers
Referee: Jonathan Gasnier
ARs: KEVIN BRALLEY & Norbert ROCHE
TMO: Nicolas Datas
Provence Rugby v Rouen Normandie Rugby
Referee: Sebastien Minery
ARs: T.Santamaria & F.Masse
TMO: B.Bessot
RC Massy Essonne v Colomiers Rugby
Referee: Herve Lasausa lespy labaylette
ARs: B.BEURIOT & S.Desvaux
TMO: M.Zitouni
US Carcassonne v USON Nevers
Referee: Pierre Bru
ARs: R.Charleroy & P.Puharre
TMO: C.Marchat
Biarritz Olympique PB v Soyaux-Angoulême XV
Referee: Benjamin Hernandez
ARs: L.Frayssinet & C.Bats
TMO: C.Berdos
Oyonnax Rugby v US Montalbanaise
Referee: Jean LESPES
ARs: F.Bouzac & D.Daste
TMO: L.Sclafer
Stade Aurillacois v RC Vannes
Referee: Cyrille BOULAY
ARs: A.LAC & M.Gharbi tarchouna
TMO: J.Rebollal
Stade Montois Rugby v FC Grenoble Rugby
Referee: Stephane Coulon
ARs: M.Noirot & S.Jaymes
TMO: P.Pechambert
Wales: Indigo Premiership
Aberavon v Cardiff
Referee: Ben Whitehouse
ARs: TBC
Swansea RFC v Llandovery RFC
Referee: Simon Rees
ARs: John Darcy & Jamie Morgan
Pontypridd RFC v Ebbw Vale RFC
Referee: Jason Bessant
ARs: Gareth Newman & Martyn Jones
Merthyr RFC v Newport RFC
Referee: Aled Evans
ARs: Aaron Parry & Gavin Roberts
Bridgend RFC v Llanelli RFC
Referee: Elliot Mayor
ARs: Gwyn Morris & Greg Morgan
RGC v Carmarthen RFC
Referee: Tom Spurrier
ARs: Dewi Phillips & Richard Brace
