It’s another big European weekend for the northern and SA referees, but there’s also rugby action back in Dubai too. What’s there? Well, it’s the opening of the World Rugby Challenger Series, which will ultimately see who has the chance to compete to get into the World Svns Series next season.
In Dubai, there’s a host of referees from all over the world. Precious Pazani from Zimbabwe (bottom left pic) will be joined by Caua Ricardo from Brazil (on right in bottom left pic), Morgan White and Sunny Lee from Hong Kong China, as well as Chloe Sampson from New Zealand. She steps up to the world level, having impressed as one of NZR’s referee scholars. Last season she mixed playing in the Farah Palmer Cup with developing her refereeing.
In Europe, there’s Champions Cup and Challenge Cup action. Italy’s Andrea Piardi (pic top left) heads to Bath as they host Racing. Hollie Davidson (top right), is refereeing South Africa’s Toyota Cheetahs match with Pau in…erm.. Amsterdam! Nice to see Alexandru Ionescu (Romania) and Ethan Glass from Switzerland getting a chance at EPCR level. Go well both! Back in the Middle East, the West Asia Premier Division restarts after a winter break. The Dubai Hurricanes v Bahrain tie-up will be refereed by Niell Horn (bottom right). We also have the match officials for the RFU Championship, PWR, Premierships in Hong Kong China, Scotland and Wales, Irelands AI League, round three of the Celtic Challenge, and France’s ProD2.
Enjoy!
Keith
World Rugby Challenge Series (7s) – Dubai
Women’s competition: Precious Pazani (Zim), Holly Wood (Eng), Chloe Sampson (NZ), Giana Vilijoen (SA), Zoe Naude (SA), Sunny Lee (HKC)
Men’s competition: Griffin Colby (SA), Sulkhani Chikladze (Geo), Morgan White (HKC), Caua Ricardo (Bra), Ian Seaton (USA
EPCR Challenge Cup – Round 3
Newcastle Falcons v Benetton Rugby
Referee: Tual Trainini (FRA)
ARs: Ludovic Cayre (FRA) & Flavien Hourquet (FRA)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FRA)
Ospreys v USA Perpignan
Referee: Morne Ferreira (SA)
ARs: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA) & Aimee Barrett-Theron (SA)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SA)
ASM Clermont Auvergne v Scarlets
Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRE)
ARs: Jonny Erskine (IRE) & Alexandru Ionescu (ROM)
TMO: Mark Patton (IRE)
Hollywoodbets Sharks v Oyonnax Rugby
Referee: Adam Leal (ENG)
ARs: Karl Dickson (ENG) & John Meredith (ENG)
TMO: Hamish Smales (ENG)
Zebre Parma v Dragons RFC
Referee: Benoit Rousselet (FRA)
ARs: Thomas Chereque (FRA) & Hervé Lasausa (FRA)
TMO: Cedric Marchat (FRA)
Castres Olympique v Black Lion
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (ENG)
ARs: Joe James (ENG) & George Selwood (ENG)
TMO: David Rose (ENG)
Edinburgh Rugby v Gloucester Rugby
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (ITA)
ARs: Alex Frasson (ITA) & Clara Munarini (ITA)
TMO: Stefano Roscini (ITA)
Montpellier Hérault Rugby v Emirates Lions
Referee: Sam Grove-White (SCO)
ARs: Finlay Brown (SCO) & Ethan Glass (SWI)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (SCO)
Toyota Cheetahs v Section Paloise (played in Amsterdam)
Referee: Hollie Davidson (SCO)
ARs: Jonny Perriam (SCO) & Rob McDowell (SCO)
TMO: Mike Adamson (SCO)
Investec Champions Cup – round 3
Northampton Saints v Aviron Bayonnais
Referee: Mike Adamson (SCO)
ARs: Ian Kenny (SCO) & David Sutherland (SCO)
TMO: Hollie Davidson (SCO)
Exeter Chiefs v Glasgow Warriors
Referee: Pierre Brousset (FRA)
ARs: Pierre Baptiste Nuchy (FRA) & Kévin Bralley (FRA)
TMO: Denis Grenoullit (FRA)
Lyon v Connacht Rugby
Referee: Craig Evans (WAL)
ARs: Adam Jones (WAL) & Ben Breakspear (WAL)
TMO: Ian Davies (WAL)
Bristol Bears v Vodacom Bulls
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FRA)
ARs: Vivien Praderie (FRA) & Jonathan Gasnier (FRA)
TMO: Thomas Charabas (FRA)
RC Toulon v Munster Rugby
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GEO)
ARs: Saba Abulashvili (GEO) & Shota Tevzadze (GEO)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WAL)
Leinster Rugby v Stade Français Paris
Referee: Christophe Ridley (ENG)
ARs: Luke Pearce (ENG) & Gareth Holsgrove (ENG)
TMO: Tom Foley (ENG)
DHL Stormers v Sale Sharks
Referee: Luc Ramos (FRA)
ARs: Jeremy Rozier (FRA) & Evan Urruzmendi (FRA)
TMO: Patrick Dellac (FRA)
Ulster Rugby v Stade Toulousain
Referee: Matthew Carley (ENG)
ARs: Sara Cox (ENG) & Simon Harding (ENG)
TMO: Ian Tempest (ENG)
Cardiff Rugby v Harlequins
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRE)
ARs: Peter Martin (IRE) & Sam Holt (IRE)
TMO: Joy Neville (IRE)
Bath Rugby v Racing 92
Referee: Andrea Piardi (ITA)
ARs: Federico Vedovelli (ITA) & Filippo Russo (ITA)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (ITA)
Stade Rochelais v Leicester Tigers
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRE)
ARs: Keane Davison (IRE) & Padraig Reidy (IRE)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRE)
Union Bordeaux-Bègles v Saracens
Referee: Chris Busby (IRE)
ARs: Andrew Cole (IRE) & Oisin Quinn (IRE)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRE)
England: RFU Championship
Nottingham v London Scottish
Referee: Jack Makepeace
ARs: Neil Chivers & Simon Park
Cambridge v Cornish Pirates
Referee: Harry Walbaum
ARs: Jonathan Healy & James Clarke
Ealing Trailfinders v Caldy
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
ARs: James Pidding & Ian Bibey
Doncaster Knights v Ampthill
Referee: Andrew Jackson
ARs: Greg Macdonald & Jamie Leahy
England: Premiership Women’s Rugby – round 7
Leicester Tigers Women v Bristol Bears Women
Referee: Andy Wigley
ARs: Gregg Dawson & Andy Ashwell
TMO: Rowan Kitt
Harlequins Women v Loughborough Lightning
Referee: Hamish Grant
ARs: Darryl Chapman & Simon Adams
Saracens Women v Exeter Chiefs Women
Referee: Richard Gordon
ARs: Calum Howard & James Cornell
Trailfinders Women v Gloucester-Hartpury Women
Referee: Nikki O’Donnell
ARs: Peter Brunt & Lionel Spooner
Wales: Indigo Welsh Premiership
Carmarthen RFC v Pontypool RFC
Referee: Ben Breakspear
ARs: Steff Edwards & Chris Oliver
Cardiff RFC v Llandovery RFC
Referee: Tom Spurrier
ARs: Ben Connor & Amber Stamp Dunstan
Merthyr RFC v Bridgend RFC
Referee: Elliot Mayor
ARs: John Darcy & Stephen Allsop
Pontypridd RFC v Neath RFC
Referee: Simon Mills
ARs: Dai Cambourne & Neil Perkins
RGC v Ebbw Vale RFC
Referee: Dewi Phillips
ARs: Mark Butcher & Alyd Morgan
Swansea RFC v Newport RFC
Referee: Gareth Newman
ARs: Simon Rees & Simon Harris
Celtic Challenge – round 3
Brython Thunder v Edinburgh Rugby (at Parc y Scarlets)
Referee: Sarah Toll (WRU)
ARs: Amber Stamp (WRU) & Aled Sion Jones (WRU)
Clovers v Gwalia Lightning (at Musgrave Park)
Referee: Kevin Coffey (IRFU)
Glasgow v Wolfhounds
Referee: Samuel O’Neil (SRU)
ARs: Mary Pringle (SRU) & Johnny Sim (SRU)
Japan: League One – Division 1
Canon v Ricoh
Referee: Takehito Namekawa
ARs: Masamichi Tatekawa & Takuya Arai
TMO: Tasuku Kawahara
Shizuoka v Suntory Goliath
Referee: Katsuki Furuse
ARs: Atushi Yamamoto & Seiya Yagi
TMO: Nobutsugu Oda
Mitsubishi v Panasonic
Referee: Tetsuya Hirakawa
ARs: Teruhisa Kajiwara & Hiroshi Kitamura
TMO: Minoru Fuji
Toshiba v Honda
Referee: Teruhisa Kajiwara
ARs: Tetsuya Hirakawa & Kenta Mitsui
TMO: Katsuki Furuse
Kobe v Kubota
Referee: Tasuku Kawahara
ARs: Noriaki Hashimoto & Masaki Kondou
TMO: Yosuke Kimura
Kintetsu v Toyota
Referee: Ibuki Tetsuka
ARs: Masamichi Tatekawa & Motonori Mizutani
TMO: Nobutsugu Oda
Division 2
D-Rocks v Toyota Shokki
Referee: Noriaki Hashimoto
ARs: Takumi Hamada & Yosuke Kimura
TMO: Yoshiyuki Nino
Docomo v NEC
Referee: Koki Tamauchi
ARs: Motonori Mizutani & Teruki Inanishi
TMO: Tomohiro Koyama
Hong Kong: Nan Fung Group/SEWIT Men’s Premiership
Kroll USRC Tigers v Natixis HKFC Club
Referee: Sam Brown (16th Prem Appointment)
ARs: Francesco Cammisa & Nic Futter
KPMG HK Scottish v Societe Generale Valley
Referee: Stephen Copeman (56th Prem Appointment)
ARs: Craig Chan & Rowan Turner
IMPACT HKU Sandy Bay v DAC Kowloon
Referee: Matt Rodden (85th Prem Appointment)
ARs: Mark Jackson & Thomas Ngan
Hong Kong: Nan Fung Group/SEWIT Women’s Premiership
Kroll USRC Tigers Ladies v Natixis HKFC Ice
Referee: Sam Chan (23rd WPrem Appointment)
ARs: Nic Futter & James Byatt
Gai Wu Falcons v Societe Generale Valley
Referee: Craig Chan (8th WPrem Appointment)
ARs: Allen Judge & Jan Tang
SCAA Causeway Bay Phoenix v DAC Kowloon Ladies
Referee: Thomas Ngan (5th WPrem Appointment)
ARs: Matt Rodden & Anthony Law
West Asia Premiership
Dubai Hurricanes v Bahrain
Referee: Niell Horn
ARs: Matt Riley & Simon Dodd
Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Referee: Matt Riley
ARs: Simon Dodd & David Mason
France: ProD2 – round 16
Colomiers Rugby v AS Béziers Hérault
Referee: David Beun
ARs: Mourad Gharbi Tarchouna & Herve Lasausa
TMO: Patrick Pechambert
USON Nevers v Biarritz Olympique PB
Referee: Mathieu Noirot
ARs: Sylvain Brayelle & Regis Guatelli
TMO: Cyril Lafon
CA Brive v Rouen Normandie Rugby
Referee: Benjamin Beuriot
ARs: Richard Duhau & Aurelie Groizeleau
TMO: Akim Hadj Bachir
Provence Rugby v US Dax
Referee: Stephane Coulon
ARs: Fabrice Hand & Thibault Santamaria
TMO: Eric Briquet Campin
Stade Aurillacois v Soyaux-Angoulême XV
Referee: Jean Lespes
ARs: Christophe Gaillardon & Eric Gleyze
TMO: Bruno Bessot
US Montalbanaise v FC Grenoble Rugby
Referee: Ludovic Carrillo
ARs: Christian Coussan & Maxime Rouquie
TMO: Jean Luc Rebollal
Valence Romans v RC Vannes
Referee: Remy Charleroy
ARs: Alexis Darche & Walter Prache
TMO: Mourad Zitouni
Stade Montois Rugby v SU Agen
Referee: Anthony Lac
ARs: Cyrille Boulay & Frederic Masse
TMO: Laurent Sclafer
Scotland: Men’s Premiership
Edinburgh Academical v Glasgow Hawks
Referee: Michael Bosman
ARs: Paul Rendle & David Changleng
Currie Chieftains v Hawick
Referee: David Young
ARs: Graeme Dryburgh-Cook & Digby Thomas
Scotland: Women’s Premiership
Stirling County v Stewartry
Referee: Allana McLean
ARs: MC Dixon & Niamh Hay
Energia All Ireland League 1A 23/24
Lansdowne v UCD
Referee: Andrew Cole
Ballynahinch v City of Armagh
Referee: George Clancy
Cork Constitution v Young Munster
Referee: Daniel Carson
Shannon v Clontarf
Referee: Stuart Douglas
Terenure College RFC v Dublin University
Referee: Stuart Gaffikin