One of the quieter weekends in the global rugby calendar, but not all the referees and match officials are on their holidays as yet. Tual Trainini (pic left) has his second consecutive Top 14 final in Paris on Saturday. He joins Jerome Garces as only the second person to referee the final twice in succession. In the south, it’s Super Rugby Pacific semi-finals with a RWC23 clean sweep of officials in play. Nic Berry and Angus Gardner referee the two matches.
In the US, it’s MLR round 18 and Women’s Premier League round 8 and then the rest of the referees we know about are in Rugby Europe where there’s a couple of 7s comps in Zagreb and Montenegro.
Enjoy whatever rugby you might be watching at the weekend!
Keith
France: Top 14 Final
Stade Toulousian v Stade Rochelias
Referee: Tual Trainini
ARs: Ludovic Cayre & Adrien Descottes
TMO: Eric Briquet-Campin
Super Rugby Pacific – semi finals
Crusaders v Blues
Referee: Angus Gardner
ARs: Ben O’Keeffe & James Doleman
TMO: Brett Cronan
Chiefs v Brumbies
Referee: Nic Berry
ARs: Paul Williams & Jordan Way
TMO: Brendon Pickerill
USMLR – Round 18
Old Glory DC v ATL Rugby
Referee: Chris Assmus
ARs: Aaron Davis & Craig Sakowski
TMO: Luke Rogan
Toronto Arrows v NOLA Gold
Referee: Lex Weiner
ARs: Stephen Stothers-Rob & Clint Lemkus
TMO: Greg Gilliam
Dallas Jackals v Chicago Rugby
Referee: Scott Green
ARs: Drew Low & Justin Hale
TMO: Nick Hannon
New England Free Jacks v Houston Sabercats
Referee: Federico Anselmi
ARs: Amelia Luciano & Mike Rudzinsky
TMO: Luke Rogan
Rugby New York v Utah Warriors
Referee: Joe James
ARs: Miles McIvor & Marty Steffens
TMO: Greg Gilliam
San Diego Legion v Seattle Seawolves
Referee: Mike Lash
ARs: Jack Gohl & Marquise Goodwin
TMO: Nick Hannon
US Women’s Premier League -Round 8
Beantown v Berkeley All Blues
Referee: Amelia Luciano
New York Rugby Club v Twin City Amazons
Referee: Marty Steffens
Rugby Europe 7s
Men’s Conference 2 (Montenegro)
Shahar TENENBAUM (ISR)
Egidijus TUZINAS (LTU)
Viktor LUNGU (MDA)
Vadims GALAJEVS (LAT)
Women’s 7s Trophy Series : Zagreb
Olga SURKOVA (UKR)
Henriette MEIJER (NED)
Jenny LEE (ESP)
Antonia NUSSBAUMER (GER)
Bérénice LOUBET-BRALLEY (FRA)
Men’s 7s Trophy Series – Zagreb
Mike HAWKINS (DEN)
Rimantas ZERINGIS (LTU)
Nicolae FRATILA (ROU)
Martin PERTENAIS (GER)
Giga MSHVENIERADZE (GEO)
Nikola ZACHARIEV (CZE)
South Africa – Mzansi Challenge Final
Valke v SWD Eagles
Referee: Christopher Allison
South Africa – Currie Cup semifinals
Toyota Cheetahs v Vodacom Bulls
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
Cell C Sharks v Airlink Pumas
Referee: Marius Van der Westhuizen
I am very worried about the standard of South African referees if you can only produce 1 referee and 1 TMO for Rugby World Cup 2023. It also look to me that after Jaco Peyper retire that SA’s standard is not good enough to have another referee on the World Rugby Referee’s Panel.
You are not alone in noting the discrepancy between the number and general excellence of South African Rugby Players and the apparent sub-optimal Referee representation. It is my opinion that SA Referees perhaps don’t “manage” the game in the same manner/expectation as say, those who usually operate in the Northern Hemisphere, and it has been noticed. I’m not aware of how SA Referees set their standards, but would they for instance, have the equivalent of the English Referees’ weekly conclave? FWIW, Jaco’s appointments unfortunately, haven’t always been without attracting some criticism.