- A total of 18 match official representing 11 nations will take charge of matches
- Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa) & Sara Cox (England) to become first women to referee to 40 tests in September
- Test debuts for Shanda Assmus (Canada) & Zoe Naude (South Africa) in WXV3
- Warm up matches’ MO teams announced too
The match official appointments for the first two rounds of the three WXV tournaments have been announced. The tournaments kick off on 27 September, concluding on 12 October. There’s a swathe of warm up matches preceding that.
Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa) will become the first female to referee 40 tests when she takes charge of England v New Zealand at Twickenham on 14 September. Sara Cox (England) will join her on the milestone six days later when she referees Wales v Australia in Newport. They have been trading “most capped women’s international referee” roles for a year or so now!
With little more than a year to go until Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 in England, World Rugby’s new match officials’ strategy is to ensure that the people, pathways and processes are in place to increase the global reach and depth of international-quality match officials. With the women’s match officiating leadership team now fully in place, WXV 2024 will see one senior leader on site at each WXV level to work with the officials. Alhambra Nievas, World Rugby Elite Women’s Match Officials Manager, will be in Vancouver (WXV1) with Women’s 15s Elite Head Coach Joy Neville in Cape Town (WXV2) and Amy Perrett, Women’s Pathway Development Coach in Dubai (WXV3).
Canada’s Shanda Assmus (on left in picture) will make her test debut, as will South Africa’s Zoe Naude (right). Shanda will be in Dubai in WXV3, with Naude at WXV2 in Cape Town. If Shanda’s surname sounds familiar, her husband Chris, is a fellow ref in MLR and will be a TMO in WXV2.
Women’s Selectors Chair Su Carty said, “The expanded international calendar presents an important opportunity to drive forward standards in tandem with providing exposure for a wider group of match officials to our premier competitions; all vital to expanding the talent pool. This will enable us to build towards Rugby World Cup England 2025 and beyond. Congratulations to all selected.”
Nievas (pictured right) added, “This represents the biggest selection of match officials for a very busy period of world class matches, including WXV. On the road to Rugby World Cup England 2025, we are continuing to focus on clear and consistent decision-making, working with the teams to buy-into the philosophy that will aid exciting matches to play in and watch. We have a very talented team who work hard to be the best versions of themselves and I look forward to seeing them all in action on the year’s biggest women’s fifteens stage.”
WXV Referee panels
WXV1 – Vancouver, Canada
Referees: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU), Maggie Cogger-Orr (NZR), Sara Cox (RFU), Aurélie Groizeleau (FFR), Kat Roche (USA) & Julianne Zussman (RC)
TMOs: Leo Colgan (IRFU), Quinton Immelman (SARU), Andrew McMenemy (SRU) & Ian Tempest (RFU)
WXV2 – Cape Town, South Africa
Referees: Ella Goldsmith (RA), Maria Latos (GER), Amelia Luciano (USA), Clara Munarini (FIR), Zoe Naude (SARU) & Precious Pazani (ZIM)
TMOs: Chris Assmus (RC), Matteo Liperini (FIR), Aaron Paterson (NZR), Estelle Whaiapu (NZR)
WXV 3 – Dubai, UAE Shanda Assmus (RC)
Referees: Natarsha Ganley (NZR), Melissa Leboeuf (FFR), Jess Ling (RA), Tyler Miller (RA) & Holly Wood (RFU)
AR: Sunny Lee (HKCR)
TMOs: Rachel Horton (RA), Dan Jones (RFU)& Oli Kellet (RA)
WXV Warm up matches
11 August
Japan v USA (in Fukuoka)
Referee: Ella Goldsmith (RA)
ARs: Jess Ling (RA) & Ano Kuwai (JRFU)
TMO: Oli Kellett (RA)
17 August 2024
Japan v USA (In Shizuoka)
Referee: Jess Ling (RA)
ARs: Ella Goldsmith (RA) & Ano Kuwai (JRFU)
TMO: Estelle Whaiapu (NZR)
6 September 2024
Scotland v Wales
Referee: Aurélie Groizeleau (FFR)
ARs: Mélissa Leboeuf (FFR) & Maria Heitor (FPR)
TMO: Dan Jones (RFU)
7 September 2024
England v France (in Gloucester)
Referee: Kat Roche (USAR)
ARs: Clara Munarini (FIR) & Chelsea Gillespie (SRU)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (SRU)
14 September 2024
Ireland v Australia (in Belfast)
Referee: Clara Munarini (FIR)
ARs: Maria Heitor (FPR) & Amber Stamp-Dunstan (WRU)
TMO: Ian Tempest (RFU)
England v New Zealand (at Twickenham)
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU)
ARs: Aurélie Groizeleau (FFR) & Chelsea Gillespie (SRU)
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)
Italy v Japan (in Piacenza)
Referee: Holly Wood (RFU)
ARs: Mélissa Leboeuf (FFR) & Adele Robert (BEL)
TMO: Dan Jones (RFU)
Scotland v Fiji
Referee: Maria Latos (GER)
ARs: Sara Cox (RFU) & Alexandra Ferré (FFR)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
16 September 2024
Samoa v Australia A
Referee: Ella Goldsmith (RA)
ARs: Samoa appts
19 September 2024
Netherlands v Fiji
Referee: Melissa Leboeuf (FFR)
ARs: Netherlands appts
20 September 2024
Wales v Australia (in Newport)
Referee: Sara Cox (RFU)
ARs: Holly Wood (RFU) & Chelsea Gillespie (SRU)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (SRU)
WXV – rounds 1&2 appointments
WXV1
Sunday 29 September (all at BC PLace, Vancouver)
USA v England
Referee: Aurélie Groizeleau (FFR)
ARs: Julianne Zussman (RC) & Host Union
TMO: Quinton Immelman (SARU)
Canada v France
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (NZR)
ARs: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU) & Kat Roche (USA)
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)
New Zealand v Ireland
Referee: Sara Cox (RFU)
ARs: Kat Roche (USA) & Host Union
TMO: Ian Tempest (RFU)
Saturday 05 October (all at Langley Events Centre)
USA v France
Referee: Julianne Zussman (RC)
ARs: Maggie Cogger-Orr (NZR) & Host Union
TMO: Ian Tempest (RFU)
Canada v Ireland
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU)
ARs: Sara Cox (RFU) & Aurélie Groizeleau (FFR)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (SRU)
New Zealand v England
Referee: Kat Roche (USA)
ARs: Aurélie Groizeleau (FFR) & Host Union
TMO: Quinton Immelman (SARU)
WXV 2
Friday 27 September (all at DHL Stadium, Cape Town)
South Africa v Japan
Referee: Maria Latos (GER)
ARs: Precious Pazani (ZIM) & Ella Goldsmith (RA)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
Saturday 28 September
Australia v Wales
Referee: Clara Munarini (FIR)
ARs: Zoe Naude (SARU) & Host Union
TMO: Aaron Paterson (NZR)
Italy v Scotland
Referee: Amelia Luciano (USA)
ARs: Precious Pazani (ZIM) & Host Union
TMO: Chris Assmus (RC)
Saturday 05 October (all at Athlone Sports Centre, Cape Town)
Wales v Italy
Referee: Ella Goldsmith (RA)
ARs: Amelia Luciano (USA) & Host Union
TMO: Aaron Paterson (NZR)
Japan v Scotland
Referee: Zoe Naude (SARU)
ARs: Clara Munarini (FIR) & Host Union
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
South Africa v Australia
Referee: Precious Pazani (ZIM)
ARs: Amelia Luciano (USA) & Maria Latos (GER)
TMO: Estelle Whaiapu (NZR)
WXV3 – all held at The Sevens 2, Dubai
Friday 27 September
Spain v Madagascar
Referee: Melissa Leboeuf (FFR)
ARs: Shanda Assmus (RC) & Sunny Lee (HKCR)
TMO: Dan Jones (RFU)
Saturday 28 September
Fiji v Hong Kong China
Referee: Tyler Miller (RA)
ARs: Holly Wood (RFU) & Jess Ling (RA)
TMO: Oli Kellet (RA)
Netherlands v Samoa
Referee: Natarsha Ganley (NZR)
ARs: Shanda Assmus (RC) & Sunny Lee (HKCR)
TMO: Rachel Horton (RA)
Friday 04 October
Magadascar v Hong Kong China
Referee: Shanda Assmus (RC)
ARs: Tyler Miller (RA) & Melissa Leboeuf (FFR)
TMO: Rachel Horton (RA)
Saturday 05 October
Fiji v Samoa
Referee: Holly Wood (RFU)
ARs: Natarsha Ganley (NZR) & Sunny Lee (HKCR)
TMO: Dan Jones (RFU)
Netherlands v Spain
Referee: Jess Ling (RA)
ARs: Tyler Miller (RA) & Sunny Lee (HKCR)
TMO: Oli Kellet (RA)
