The big match this weekend is on Friday when the World u20s Championship will be decided in Cape Town. The final, between France and Ireland, will see Argentinian referee, Damian Schneider (pictured, top left) in the middle. He’ll be joined on the sides by Hollie Davidson and Morne Ferreira with Matteo Liperini in the TMO tent. There’s five games to sort the rest of the final placings out. And as that finishes, the u20s trophy starts in Kenya. Tevita Rokovereni from Fiji (bottom right) will referee the Uruguay v USA match in Nairobi.
It’s the final round of matches tomorrow in Ottawa as the Pac4 concludes with Julianne Zussman and Sara Cox (top right) overseeing matters once again. Last week, the Black Ferns confirmed their place in WXV 1 as a result of their win over Canada. Providing the USA don’t beat NZ this weekend, Australia and Canada can also confirm their WV1 slots when they play each other. The 4th team in the comp ends up in WXV2 in Cape Town in October. Mélissa Leboeuf from France will referee the Spain v Japan women’s match as the hosts prepare to play Italy in their XV decider in a week or so.
It’s round two of the Rugby Championship with Jaco Peyper (pic, bottom left) and Mathieu Raynal in Australia and New Zealand respectively. Speaking of NZ, their domestic season kicks off this weekend with round 1 of the Farah Palmer Cup, the local There’s also 7s action in the USA and in Europe to keep an eye on too.
Enjoy your weekend
Keith
World U20 Championship – Finals Day
Italy U20 v Japan U20 – 11th/12th place
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ire)
ARs: Luc Ramos (Fra) & Stephan Geldenhuys (SA)
TMO: Quinton Immelman (SA)
Fiji U20 v Argentina U20 – 9th/10th place
Referee: Ben Breakspear (Wal)
ARs: Hollie Davidson (Sco) & Dylen November (SA)
TMO: AJ Jacobs (SA)
Georgia U20 v New Zealand U20 – 7th/8th place
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (Eng)
ARs: Luc Ramos (Fra) & Stephan Geldenhuys (SA)
TMO: Quinton Immelman (SA)
Wales U20 v Australia U20 – 5th/6th place
Referee: Angus Mabey (NZ)
ARs: Morne Ferreira (SA) & Christopher Allison (SA)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
South Africa U20 v England U20 3rd/4th place
Referee: Rueben Keane (Aus)
ARs: Takehito Namekawa & Griffon Colby (SA)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
Ireland U20 v France U20 – Final
Referee: Damian Schneider (Arg)
ARs: Hollie Davidson (Sco) & Morne Ferreira (SA)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
Pacific Four series
New Zealand v USA (in Ottawa)
Referee: Julianne Zussman (Can)
ARs: Shanda Assmus (Can) & Kristine Lovatt (Can)
TMO: Chris Assmus (Can)
Canada v Australia (in Ottawa)
Referee: Sara Cox MBE (Eng)
ARs: Amelia Luciano (USA) & Jenny Lui (USA)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (Sco)
The Rugby Championship
Australia v Argentina
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SA)
ARs: Paul Williams (NZ) & James Doleman (NZ)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SA)
New Zealand v South Africa
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (Fra)
ARs: Angus Gardner (Aus) & Pierre Brousset (Fra)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)
RWC Warm-up matches
Tonga v Australia A (in Nuku’alofa)
Referee: Dan Waenga (NZ)
ARs: Marcus Playle (NZ) & Michael Winter (NZ)
Japan v All Blacks XV (in Kumamoto)
Referee: Tual Trainini (Fra)
ARs: Mike Adamson (Sco) & Katsuki Furuse (Jpn)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (Eng)
Women’s International
Spain Women v Japan Women (in Guadalajara)
Referee: Mélissa Leboeuf (Fra)
World Rugby U20 Trophy 2023 (Kenya)
Scotland v Zimbabwe
Referee: Robin Kaluzniak (Can)
Uruguay v USA
Referee: Tevita Rokovereni (Fij)
Spain v Hong Kong China
Referee: Precious Pazani (Zim)
Samoa v Kenya
Referee: Saba Abulashvili (Geo)
Rugby Europe 7s
Girls U18 Championship (in Prague, Czechia )
Nino ELOSHVILI (GEO), Maria HEITOR (POR),
Maria LATOS (GER), Adele ROBERT (BEL),
Olga SURKOVA (UKR)
Boys U18 Championship (in Macolin, Switzerland)
Ben CONNOR (WAL), Robbie JENKINSON (IRL),
Anthony LAC (MON), Eugeniu PROCOPI (MDA),
Franco ROSELLA (ITA), Edwin VAN DER SPEK (NED)
USA: PR7s – San Jose
Referees: Joey Swatzell, Jacob Gonzales. Haley Aguiar
New Zealand: Farah Palmer Cup – Round 1
Hawke’s Bay v Auckland
Referee: Tiana Anderson
ARs: Tipene Cottrell & Keith Groube
Canterbury v Wellington
Referee: George Haswell
Bay of Plenty v Waikato
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr
ARs: Andy Morton & Sam Fellows
New Zealand: Ranfurly Shield
Wellington v South Canterbury (on 19th)
Referee: Dan Waenga
ARs: Jack Sargentina & Tomas Roche
Thanks for all you do on behalf of the sport.
That’s very kind Bruce, much appreciated
Who were the assistant referees for the Canterbury v Wellington Farah Palmer Cup game?
Wasn’t on the sheet I was sent so not sure I’m afraid – sorry!
I am worried about the standard of South Africa’s Rugby referees that we did not have a referee refereeing in the play offs of the World Rugby U/20 Rugby Championships.
Have heard similar before. Think it’s that part of the cycle. Sure, more needs to be done, but it’s the same across many Unions.