Not often we have more internationals referee appointments than league ones, but it’s that time of year! The Pacific Four tournament is in Ottawa as the Wallaroos and Black Ferns head east to play the USA and Canada. The top three teams will enter WXV 1 with the fourth heading into WXV 2. Home-ref Julianne Zussman (pic bottom left) starts things off as Australia play the USA with newly-MBE’d Sara Cox refereeing the hosts against New Zealand. There’s also Lorena Martinez refereeing Spain Women who play Japan, as they warm up to a WXV play off match with Italy on 22 July.
In the men’s game, it’s semi-finals and play-off round in the world u20s and it’s the start of The Rugby Championship – Ben O’Keeffe and Angus Gardner (top left) are in Pretoria and Mendoza to referee the two games in that one. In Chicago, it’s the US MLR Championship Final. Joe James (bottom right) from England has been selected to referee the final as the west and east conference finalists play off the the main title. There’s a Japan v All Blacks XV match in Tokyo and a Rugby Asia match in Lahore where Just Wang (top right) from Singapore takes charge.
And we also have some Rugby Europe 7s competitions this weekend in Hamburg and Budapest – all the referee teams are below.
Enjoy your weekend
Keith
Pacific 4 Series 2023
Australia v USA (played in Ottawa)
Referee: Julianne Zussman (Can)
ARs: Shanda Assmus (Can) & Kristine Lovatt (Can)
TMO: Andrew Hosie (Can)
Canada v New Zealand (in Ottawa)
Referee: Sara Cox MBE (Eng)
ARs: Amelia Luciano (USA) & Jenny Lui (USA)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (Sco)
The Rugby Championship 2023 – Round 1
South Africa v Australia (in Pretoria)
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
ARs: Paul Williams (NZR) & Andrea Piardi (FIR)
TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR)
Argentina v New Zealand (in Mendoza)
Referee: Angus Gardner (RA)
ARs: Nic Berry (RA) & Jordan Way (RA)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
RWC Warm-up Match
Japan XV v All Blacks XV (in Tokyo)
Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)
ARs: Tual Trainini (FFR) & Katsuki Furuse (JRFU)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (RFU)
Asia Rugby Men’s Division 1
Pakistan v United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Referee: Just Wang (Singapore)
ARs: Morgan White (HKC) Abdul Munim (Malaysia)
Reviewer: Akihisa Aso (Jpn)
Women’s International friendly
Spain v Japan
Referee: Lorena Martinez (Spain)
World u20s Championship play off matches
Italy U20 v Fiji U20
Referee: Luc Ramos (Fra)
ARs: Damian Schneider (Arg) & Griffon Colby (SA)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SA)
Argentina U20 v Japan U20
Referee: Morne Ferreira (SA)
ARs: Eoghan Cross (Ire) & Dylen November (SA)
TMO: Tom Foley (Eng)
Georgia U20 v Wales U20
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Sco)
ARs: Damian Schneider (Arg) & Griffon Colby (SA)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SA)
New Zealand U20 v Australia U20
Referee: Takehito Namekawa (Jpn)
ARs: Ben Breakspear (Wal) & Aimee Barrett-Theron (SA)
TMO: Joy Neville (Ire)
Semi-Finals
Ireland U20 v South Africa U20
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (Eng)
ARs: Rueben Keane (Aus) & Christopher Allison (SA)
TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZ)
France U20 England U20
Referee: Angus Mabey (NZ)
ARs: Ben Breakspear (Wal) & Aimee Barrett-Theron (SA)
TMO: Joy Neville (Ire)
US Major League Rugby – Championship Final
San Diego Legion v New England Free Jacks
Referee: Joe James (Eng)
ARs: Cam Stone (NZ) & Lex Weiner (USA)
TMO: Nick Hannon (USA)
Rugby Europe 7s
Women’s 7s Trophy Series – Leg 2 – Budapest
Petra DRUSKOVIC (CRO), Alexandra FERRE (FRA), Karina HRAMOVA (UKR), Loredana JUNCANARIU (ROU), Hannah KENDALL (SUI) & Hana RADOCHOVA (CZE)
Men’s 7s Trophy Series – Leg 2 – Budapest
Borys BOVSUNOVSKYI (UKR), Damien DAUVISSAT (FRA), Diogo INACIO (POR), Mirza ORUC (BIH), Liam WRIGHT (NED) & Ivan ZELIC (CRO)
Women’s 7s Championship – Leg 2 – Hamburg
Maria HEITOR (POR), Maria LATOS (GER), Melissa LEBOEUF (FRA), Jen LEE (ESP), Mary PRINGLE (SCO) & Adèle ROBERT (BEL)
Men’s 7s Championship – Leg 2 – Hamburg
Sulkhan CHIKLADZE (GEO), Eki FANLO (ESP), Ethan GLASS (SUI), Mike HAWKINS (DEN), Adrian PAWLIK (POL), Eugeniu PROCOPI (MDA), & Jérémy ROZIER (FRA)