26-30 Oct: Rugby World Cup final, WXV, & domestic referee, AR, & TMO appointments

Obviously, the big game is the Rugby World Cup Final in Paris on Saturday, and referee Wayne Barnes (pictured top left) will be ready for the great tournament (and probably his refereeing career) climax. Preceding that, there’s the bronze medal match on Friday evening, in which Nic Berry (bottom left) will oversee England playing Argentina.

In the WXV, it’s the final round of WXV2 and 3 this weekend. Italy’s Clara Munarini (top right)will be in the middle for the South Africa v Samoa match which will determine which region is relegated to WXV 3 for 2024. There’s also round two of WXV1.

There’s a couple of refereeing debuts this weekend with Ian Kenny (bottom right) of Scotland taking his first URC match and Joe James, hot off a summer in the MLR in the US, will make his Gallagher Premiership debut as Exeter play Sale. Good luck both! Also we have Top 14, Hong Kong China prems and the Welsh premiership appointments too.

Enjoy the RWC Final!
Keith

Rugby World Cup 2023 – Final

Final: New Zealand v South Africa
Referee: Wayne Barnes (Eng)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Matthew Carley (Eng)
TMO: Tom Foley (Eng)

Bronze final

Argentina v England
Referee: Nic Berry (Aus)
ARs: Nika Amashukeli (Geo) & Andrew Brace (Ire)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)

WXV 1 – in Dunedin, NZ

England v Canada
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (NZR)
ARs: Lauren Jenner (FIR) & Cassie Watt (NZR)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (SRU)

New Zealand v Wales
Referee: Amber McLachlan (RA)
ARs: Hollie Davidson (SRU) & Sara Cox (RFU)
TMO: Rachel Horton (RA)

France v Australia
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU)
ARs: Lauren Jenner (FIR) & Cassie Watt (NZR)
TMO: Ian Tempest (RFU)

WXV 2 – in Cape Town, NZ – final round

Scotland v Japan
Referee: Kat Roche (USA)
ARs: Holly Wood (RFU) & Zoe Naude (SARU)
TMO: Quinton Immelman (SARU)

South Africa v Samoa
Referee: Clara Munarini (FIR)
ARs: Aurélie Groizeleau (FFR) & Precious Pazani (ZIM)
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)

USA v Italy
Referee: Natarsha Ganley (NZR)
ARs: Aurélie Groizeleau (FFR) & Zoe Naude (SARU)
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)

WXV 3 – final round, Dubai

Kazakhstan v Fiji
Referee: Amelia Luciano (USA)
ARs: Ano Kuwai (USA) & Sunny Lee (HKCR)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)

Kenya v Colombia
Referee: Maria Latos (GER)
ARs: Adele Robert (BEL) & Ella Goldsmith (RA)
TMO: Andrew Hosie (RC)

Ireland v Spain
Referee: Doriane Domenjo (FFR)
ARs: Ella Goldsmith (RA) & Sunny Lee (HKCR)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)

France: Top 14 – Round 4

Bayonnais v Stade Français Paris
Referee: Luc Ramos
ARs: Stephane Boyer & Jonathan Gasnier
TMO: Patrick Dellac

USA Perpignan v Section Paloise
Referee: Adrien Descottes
ARs: Benoit Albert Bonnafous & Vincent Blasco Baque
TMO: Denis Grenouillet

LOU Rugby v ASM Clermont
Referee: Ludovic Cayre
ARs: Thierry Mallet & Mathieu Noirot
TMO: Eric Gauzins

Montpellier Hérault Rugby v Racing 92
Referee: Tual Trainini
ARs: Frederic Masse & Vivien Praderie
TMO: Julien Castaignede

RC Toulon v Oyonnax Rugby
Referee: Jeremy Rozier
ARs: Stephane Crapoix & Evan Urruzmendi
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure

Stade Rochelais v Castres Olympique
Referee: Thomas Charabas
ARs: Nicolas Bridoux & Pierre Baptiste Nuchy
TMO: Cedric Marchat

Stade Toulousain v Union Bordeaux-Bègles
Referee: Adrien Marbot
ARs: Christian Coussan & Benoit Rousselet
TMO: Jean Luc Rebollal

England: Gallagher Premiership – Round 2

Gloucester Rugby v Saracens
Referee: Adam Leal
ARs: Craig Maxwell-Keys & Neil Chivers
TMO: Andrew Jackson

Bristol Bears v Harlequins
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe
ARs: Dan Jones & Gareth Holsgrove
TMO: Dean Richards

Exeter Chiefs v Sale Sharks
Referee: Joe James (Premiership debut)
ARs: Simon Harding & Jonathan Healy
TMO: David Rose

Bath Rugby v Leicester Tigers
Referee: Jack Makepeace
ARs: George Selwood & Paul Dix
TMO: Rowan Kitt

Newcastle Falcons v Northampton Saints
Referee: Hamish Smales
ARs: Hamish Grant & Jamie Leahy
TMO: Dean Richards

Hong Kong China: Nan Fung Group/SEWIT Men’s Premiership

Societe Generale Valley v KPMG HK Scottish
Referees: Matt Rodden (82nd Prem Appointment)
ARs: Morgan White & James Byatt

Natixis HKFC Club v Kroll USRC Tigers
Referees: Francesco Cammisa (9th Prem Appointment)
ARs: Rowan Turner & Mark Jackson

DAC Kowloon v IMPACT HKU Sandy Bay
Referees: Stephen Copeman (53rd Prem Appointment)
ARs: Craig Chan & Thomas Ngan

Hong Kong China: Nan Fung Group/SEWIT Women’s Premiership

Societe Generale Valley v Gai Wu Falcons
Referees: Sam Chan (20th WPrem Appointment)
ARs: Steven Yuen & Aggie Poon

Natixis HKFC Ice v Kroll USRC Tigers Ladies
Referees: Mark Jackson (3rd WPrem Appointment)
ARs: Nic Futter & Jan Tang

DAC Kowloon Ladies v SCAA Causeway Bay Phoenix
Referees: Craig Chan (6th WPrem Appointment)
ARs: Billy Chan & Hendro van der Merwe

BKT United Rugby Championship – Round 2

Ospreys v Zebre Parma
Referee: Ian Kenny (Sco, debut)
ARs: Gareth Newman & Gwyn Morris
TMO: Dave Sutherland

Connacht v Glasgow Warriors
Referee: Adam Jones (Wal)
ARs: Padraic Reidy & Sam Holt
TMO: Jon Mason

DHL Stormers v Scarlets
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Sco)
ARs: Griffin Colby AR 2: Christopher Allison
TMO: Mike Adamson

Leinster v Hollywoodbets Sharks
Referee: Federico Vedovelli (Ita)
ARs: Joy Neville & Paul Haycock
TMO: Stefano Roscini

Edinburgh Rugby v Emirates Lions
Referee: Chris Busby (Ire)
ARs: Jonny Perriam & Rob McDowell
TMO: Colin Stanley

Benetton v Munster
Referee: Morne Ferreira (SA)
ARs: Andrea Piardi & Alex Frasson
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen

Dragons RFC v Cardiff Rugby
Referee: Frank Murphy (Ire)
ARs: Elgan Williams & Ben Connor
TMO: Mark Patton

Ulster v Vodacom Bulls
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)
ARs: Andrew Cole & Robbie Jenkinson
TMO: Stefano Roscini

Wales: Indigo Welsh Premiership

Cardiff RFC V Pontypool RFC
Referee: Tom Spurrier
ARs: TBC & Stuart Kibble

Carmarthen RFC V Swansea RFC
Referee: Steff Edwards
ARs: Mark Butcher & Rhodri Morgan

Ebbw Vale RFC V Bridgend RFC
Referee: Keith David
ARs: Stephen Allsop & Wayne Davies

Llandovery RFC V Neath RFC
Referee: Elgan Williams
ARs: Jamie Morgan & Paul Jones

RGC V Aberavon RFC
Referee: Elliott Mayor
ARs: Aaron Parry & Bobi Beach

Newport RFC V Merthyr RFC
Referee: Dewi Phillips
ARs: Kristoff Young & Neil Perkins

UAE: West Asia Premiership

Bahrain v Jebel Ali Dragons
Referee: James Fairbourn
ARs: Simon Dodd & Tiaan Potgieter

Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Tigers
Referee: Matt Riley
ARs: Simon Dodd & Brayden Hudson