A weekend of finals/semi-finals around the northern hemisphere, so the referees, ARs and TMOs are all in place too. It’s European cup finals weekend in Dublin, where Wayne Barnes (Challenge Cup) and Jaco Peyper (Heineken Champions Cup) will be refereeing – possibly for the last time. In Austria, Laura Wunsch (bottom left) becomes the first female referee to take the whistle for a Rugby Austria Men‘s XV‘s Bundesliga final. In Japan, their Japan One league finals take place. Shuhei Kubo (top right) has the 3 v 4 play off, before TMOing for Takehito Namekawa in the Final. It’s his last match before he retires from refereeing to take up the new role of National Referee Manager with JRFU.  It’s semi-finals weekend in the ProD2 in France – Tual Trainini and Luc Ramos will have the whistles there.

There’s some international rugby around too – the World 7s Series (men’s) finishes in London with a lot to play for there as the new look 7s series builds for 2024. And in Sydney, the Wallaroos are hosting the Fijiana with Maggie Cogger-Orr (bottom right) in charge.

All those aside, we have regular league action in Super Rugby Pacific, the US MLR and WPL, Allianz Premier 15s in England and Currie Cup in South Africa.

Good luck to all
Keith

International

Australia Walleroos v Fijiana
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (NZ)
ARs: Natarsha Ganley (NZ) & Jess Ling (Aus)
TMO: Rachel Horton (Aus)

World Sevens Series – Men’s – London

Referees: Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita), Francisco Gonzalez (Uru), Adam Leal (Eng), Morne Ferreira (SA), Nick Hogan (NZ), Paulo Durate (Por), George Selwood (Eng) and AJ Jacobs(SA)
Local ARs: Harry Walbaum, James Clarke, Callum Howard & Hamish Grant

EPCR Challenge Cup Final

Glasgow Warriors v RC Toulon
Referee: Wayne Barnes (Eng)
ARs: Chris Busby (Ire) & Craig Evans (Wal)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)
Citing Commissioner: Ciaran Scally (Ire)

EPCR Heineken Champions Cup Final

Leinster Rugby v Stade Rochelais
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SA)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Christophe Ridley (Eng)
TMO: Tom Foley (Eng)
Citing Commissioner: Beth Dickens (Sco)

Rugby Austria: Bundesliga final

Vienna Celtic RFC v Rugby Union Donau Wien
Referee:  Laura Wunsch
ARs: Benjamin Loader & Derek Fisher

Japan: League One Finals

CANON Eagles v SUNTORY Sungoliath (3rd Place play-off)
Referee: Shuhei Kubo
ARs: Tetsuya Hirakawa & Yosuke Kimura
TMO: Katsuki Furuse
PR: Paul Honiss

FINAL: PANASONIC WildKnights v KUBOTA Spears
Referee: Takehito Namekawa
ARs: Katsuki Furuse & Tasuku Kawahara
TMO: Shuhei Kubo
PR: Paul Honiss

France: ProD2 Semi-finals

Oyonnax Rugby v RC Vannes
Referee: Luc Ramos
ARs: Vincent Blasco-Baqué & Thierry Mallet
TMO: Cédric Marchat

FC Grenoble v Stade Montois
Referee: Tual Trainini
ARs: Flavien Hourquet & Christophe Bultet
TMO: Éric Briquet-Campin

Super Rugby Pacific – round 13

Moana Pasifika v Crusaders
Referee: Reuben Keane
ARs: Brendon Pickerill & Marcus Playle
TMO: Glenn Newman

Reds v Blues
Referee: Jordan Way
ARs: Nic Berry & Angus Gardner
TMO: Brett Cronan

Highlanders v Rebels
Referee: Paul Williams
ARs: Dan Waenga & Michael Winter
TMO: Richard Kelly

Chiefs v Hurricanes
Referee: James Doleman
ARs: Jono Bredin & Fraser Hannon
TMO: Chris Hart

Waratahs v Fijian Drua
Referee: Dr. Ben O’Keeffe
ARs: Dr. Stu Curran & Jackson Henshaw
TMO: Shane McDermott

Force v Brumbies
Referee: Damon Murphy
ARs: Graham Cooper & Jordan Kaminski
TMO: Kyle Burnett

England: Allianz Premier 15s

Bristol Bears Women v Exeter Chiefs Women
Referee: Dan Jones
ARs: Iain Kiy & Nikki O’Donnell

University of Worcester Warriors Women v Saracens Women
Referee: Alex Thomas
ARs: Katherine Ritchie & Chris Bartlett

DMP Sharks v Loughborough Lightning
Referee: Rebecca Rees
ARs: Jonathan Cook & Simon Adams

Wasps Women v Sale Sharks Women
Referee: Becky Piddlesden
ARs: Jeff Highcock & Fiona Brunt

Gloucester-Hartpury Women’s RFC v Harlequins Women
Referee: Charlie Gayther
ARs: James Cornell & James Pidding

Currie Cup – Premier Division

DHL Western Province v Airlink Pumas
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni

Cell C Sharks v Toyota Cheetahs
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen

NovaVit Griffons v Windhoek Draught Griquas
Referee: Dylen November

Fidelity ADT Lions v Vodacom Bulls
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron

US MLR – Round 14

Toronto Arrows v Old Glory DC
Referee: Mike Lash (USA)
ARs: Pete Pender & Clint Lemkus
TMO: Greg Gilliam

ATL Rugby v Dallas Jackals
Referee: Chris Assmus (Can)
ARs: Cisco Lopez & Dave Edwards
TMO: Greg Gilliam

Utah Warriors v Houston Sabercats
Referee: Federico Anselmi (Arg)
ARs: Kahlil Harrison & Justin Canova
TMO: Derek Summers

Seattle Seawolves v Chicago Rugby
Referee: Robin Kaluzniak (Can)
ARs: Lex Weiner & Saro Turner
TMO: Austin Reed

New England Free Jacks v NOLA Gold
Referee: Joe James (Eng)
ARs: Amelia Luciano & Mike Rudzinsky
TMO: Derek Summers

US Women’s Premier League – round 5

Berkeley All Blues v Twin City Amazons
Referee: Tim Lew

Beantown v Colorado Gray Wolves
Referee: Jenny Lui

Chicago North Shore v New York Rugby Club
Referee: Lindsey Oliver

Netherlands: Ereklasse (First Class) – semi-finals

RC Eemland v RFC Haarlem
Referee: Gert Visser
ARs: Louis van Gerwen & Rutger van Faassen

Haagsche RC v RC ’t Gooi 
Referee: Liam Wright
ARs: Phila Bitterhout & Edwin van der Spek

Scotland: Forex Super Series

Ayrshire Bulls v Watsonians
Ref: Jonny Perriam
ARs: Michael Todd & Alistair Watt

Southern Knights v Boroughmuir Bears
Referee: Michael Todd
ARs: Ross Mabon & David Changleng

Heriots v Stirling Wolves
Referee: Jonny Perriam
ARs: Finlay Brown & David Young