We’re well into the RWC warm up matches now, and the referees are getting in their pre-tournament game time too. Last week’s Bledisloe team of 4 has a shuffle with Karl Dickson (pictured top left) swapping places with Wayne Barnes. Nika Amashukeli (top right) is in Buenos Aires for the Argentina v SA match (not part of TRC this year). There’s also a host of others out on international duty too in Oceania, Europe and S America.
There’s domestic action in New Zealand, S Africa and Scotland, plus 7s in the USA this weekend. Angus Mabey kicks the new NPC season off in the south island as Tasman host Otago. It’s good to see referee exchanges happening more often in the top leagues. The Japanese Union has done various strategic deals with the ARU and NZRU lately, and as part of that, their referees will benefit too. Katsuki Furuse (bottom left), voted best referee by the teams in Japan’s League One last season, takes the whistle for the Northland v Canterbury match. Cassie Watt (bottom right) is in Wellington as the Farah Palmer Cup continues into round four and the season is wrapping up in the SA Women’s competitions too. Angie Bezuidenhout referees the final of the Women’s First Division with another week to go in the Premier Division.
Enjoy your weekend
Keith
Bledisloe Cup 2
New Zealand v Australia
Referee: Karl Dickson (Eng)
ARs: Wayne Barnes (Eng) & Christophe Ridley (Eng)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SA)
2023 RWC Warm Up matches
Argentina v South Africa
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)
ARs: Andrew Brace (Ire) & Chris Busby (Ire)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)
Japan v Fiji
Referee: Matthew Carley (Eng)
ARs: James Doleman (NZ) & Takehito Namekawa (Jpn)
TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZ)
Samoa v Tonga
Referee: Angus Gardner (Aus)
ARs: Damon Murphy (Aus) & Matt Kellahan (Aus)
Scotland v France
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ)
ARs: Frank Murphy (Ire) & Federico Vedovelli (Ita)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)
Ireland v Italy
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (Fra)
ARs: Pierre Brousset (Fra) & Luc Ramos (Fra)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
Wales v England
Referee: Nic Berry (Aus)
ARs: Mike Adamson (Sco) & Andrea Piardi (Ita)
TMO: Joy Neville (Ire)
Chile v Argentina XV
Referee: Craig Evans (Wal)
ARs: Francisco Gonzalez (Uru) & Matias Esteban (Uru)
Uruguay v Namibia
Referee: Luke Pearce (Eng)
ARs: Damian Schneider (Arg) & Nehuen Jauri Rivero (Arg)
Romania v USA
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Sco)
ARs: Hollie Davidson (Sco) & Anthony Woodthorpe (Eng)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
Bunnings National Provincial Championship – round 1
Tasman v Otago
Referee: Angus Mabey
ARs: Ben Alexander & Aidan Barnett
TMO: Steffan James
Taranaki v Counties Manukau
Referee: Paul Williams
ARs: Cam Stone & Will Johnston
TMO: Richard Kelly
Hawke’s Bay v North Harbour
Referee: Stu Curran
ARs: Jono Bredin & Dave Clarkson
TMO: Mark Johnson
Manawatu v Wellington
Referee: Nick Hogan
ARs: Matt McEwen & Sam Couper
TMO: Carl Baker
Northland v Canterbury
Referee: Katsuki Furuse (Japan)
ARs: Nathan Chestnut & Stephen Ball
TMO: Llew Smart
Bay of Plenty v Auckland
Referee: Dan Waenga
ARs: Sam Fellows & Shane McDermott
Southland v Waikato
Referee: Fraser Hannon
ARs: Josh Hamill & Sam Nicholson
TMO: Andrew Rowland
Northland v Taranaki
Referee: Angus Mabey
ARs: Nathan Chestnut & Stephen Ball
TMO: Llew Smart
NZ: Farah Palmer Cup Premiership – week 4
Auckland v Bay of Plenty
Referee: Natarsha Ganley
ARs: Todd Petrie & Aidan Cameron
Waikato v Counties Manukau
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr
ARs: Ben Brownlie & Kaitlin Bates
Wellington v Hawke’s Bay
Referee: Cassie Watt
ARs: Jamie Fairmaid & Zarne Johnson
NZ: Farah Palmer Cup Championship
Taranaki v Tasman
Referee: Tiana Anderson
ARs: Chloe Sampson & Tim Biesiek
Northland v Otago
Referee: Brandon Roberts
ARs: TBC
North Harbour v Manawatu
Referee: Todd Petrie
ARs: Scott McKenzie & Dean Harris
South Africa: Women’s Premier Division
Border Ladies v Mastercard Lions Women
Referee: Sinesipho Foloti
Bulls Daisies v DHL Western Province
Referee: Bulela Qwane
EP Queens v Boland Dames
Referee: Siyanda Pikoli
Women’s First Division Final
Free State Women v SWD Eagirls
Referee: Angie Bezuidenhout
Scotland: Super Series
Stirling Wolves v Ayreshire Bulls
Referee: Ian Kenny
ARs: Rob McDowell & Ciaran Stark
Watsonians Rugby v Southern Knights
Referee: Ruairidh Campell
ARs: Samual O’Neil & Bob Nevins
Boroughmuir Bears v Scotland Future XV
Referee: David Sutherland
ARs: Calum Worsley & Chelsea Gillespie
US: Premier 7s
USA Referees: Haley Aguiar, Jacob Gonzales & Ian Seaton
