Not a lot of rugby around over the New Year week, with only the URC and top league action in England, France and Wales in play. In South Wales, Elliot Mayor (pictured bottom left) takes charge of the Swansea v Pontypool RFC match in the Welsh Premiership.
There’s a full round of URC action with all refs close to home as well. Frank Murphy (bottom right) takes charge of his 81st URC match with Leinster hosting Ulster. In France, Benoit Rousselet (top right) referees the top side – Racing 92, as they head to Bayonne. Christophe Ridley (top left) kicks the English Premiership weekend run off, as the west country derby between Bristol Bears and Exeter Chiefs takes place on Friday. In London, Harlequins take over Twickenham with both men’s and women’s teams playing their Gloucester counterparts in their respective leagues.
Enjoy your New Year rugby
Keith
Wales: Indigo Welsh Premiership – round 16
RGC V Cardiff RFC
Referee: Ben Connor
ARs: Ed Brown & Alyd Morgan
TMO: Greg Morgan
Aberavon RFC V Bridgend RFC
Referee: Ben Breakspear
ARs: Dewi Phillips & Carwyn Williams
Carmarthen RFC V Neath RFC
Referee: Keith David
ARs: Jason Bessant & Jamie Morgan
Merthyr RFC V Llandovery RFC
Referee: Rhys Jones
ARs: Tom Spurrier & Amber Stamp
Pontypridd RFC V Ebbw Vale RFC
Referee: Gareth Newman
ARs: John Darcy & Marcus Caudle
Swansea RFC V Pontypool RFC
Referee: Elliot Mayor
ARs: Simon Mills & Richard Brace
BKT United Rugby Championship – Round 9
Benetton v Zebre Parma
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR, 28th league game)
ARs: Federico Vedovelli (FIR) & Alex Frasson (FIR)
TMO: Stefano Roscini (FIR)
Edinburgh Rugby v Glasgow Warriors
Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU, 76th league game)
ARs: Jonny Perriam (SRU) & Finlay Brown (SRU)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (SRU)
DHL Stormers v Hollywoodbets Sharks
Referee: AJ Jacobs (SARU, 16th league game)
ARs: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU) & Stephan Geldenhuys (SARU)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
Connacht v Munster
Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU, 36th league game)
ARs: Andrew Brace (IRFU) & Keane Davison (IRFU)
TMO: Mark Patton (IRFU)
Ospreys v Cardiff Rugby
Referee: Adam Jones (WRU, 32nd league game)
ARs: Ben Whitehouse (WRU) & Ben Breakspear (WRU)
TMO: Sean Brickell (WRU)
Dragons RFC v Scarlets
Referee: Craig Evans (WRU, 52nd league game)
ARs: Gareth Newman (WRU) & Dewi Philips (WRU)
TMO: Wayne Davies (WRU)
Leinster v Ulster
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU, 81st league game)
ARs: Eoghan Cross (IRFU) & Tomas O’Sullivan (IRFU)
TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU)
France: Top 14 – round 11
Oyonnax v Section Paloise
Referee: Jeremy Rozier
ARs: Ghyslain Elias & Luc Ramos
TMO: Eric Gauzins
ASM Clermont v Union Bordeaux-Bègles
Referee: Tual Trainini
ARs: Christophe Bultet & Jonathan Gasnier
TMO: Eric Briquet Campin
LOU Rugby v Montpellier Hérault Rugby
Referee: Adrien Descottes
ARs: Kevin Bralley & Sylvain Desvaux
TMO: Cedric Marchat
Aviron Bayonnais v Racing 92
Referee: Benoit Rousselet
ARs: Pierre Brousset & Christian Coussan
TMO: Patrick Dellac
RC Toulon v Stade Français Paris
Referee: Pierre Baptiste Nuchy
ARs: Sylvain Jaymes & Mathieu Raynal
TMO: Cyril Lafon
Stade Rochelais v Stade Toulousain
Referee: Ludovic Cayre
ARs: Adrien Marbot & Laurent Millotte
TMO: Akim Hadj Bachir
Castres Olympique v USA Perpignan
Referee: Vivien Praderie
ARs: Thomas Charabas & Frederic Chazal
TMO: Denis Grenouillet
England: Gallagher Premiership – round 10
Bristol Bears v Exeter Chiefs
Referee: Christophe Ridley
ARs: George Selwood & Alex Thomas
TMO: Dean Richards
Saracens v Newcastle Falcons
Referee: Jack Makepeace
ARs: Harry Walbaum & Gareth Holsgrove
TMO: Rowan Kitt
Northampton Saints v Sale Sharks
Referee: Matthew Carley
ARs: Craig Maxwell-Keys & Peter Allen
TMO: David Rose
Harlequins v Gloucester Rugby
Referee: Adam Leal
ARs: Joe James & Mike Hudson
TMO: Stuart Terheege
Leicester Tigers v Bath Rugby
Referee: Karl Dickson
ARs: Hamish Smales & Paul Dix
TMO: Andrew Jackson
England: RFU Championship
Bedford Blues v Coventry
Referee: Andrew Jackson
ARs: Hamish Grant & Veryan Boscawen
England: Premiership Women’s Rugby
Harlequins Women v Gloucester-Hartpury Women’s RFC
Referee: George Selwood
ARs: Neil Chivers & Peter Brunt
TMO: Dan Jones